Guardians
by Ashlyn-i
Summary: My tale of a group of mutants trying to help others through the ongoing war. Dedicated followers of the X-men they believe in what is right. But one has a past; an important past she cannot remember. Unfortunate when the enemy's weakness is buried there
1. Runaway

This is my first proper story fanfic.  
I hope you enjoy it. Sorry it is a bit long, but I couldn't resist surviving through the series. This consists of four people (though it focuses on one in particular) as they survive the war. This stays fairly true to the plot of Wolverine and the X-men and even goes beyond that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolverine and the X-men - though sometimes I think it's better if someone else did!

* * *

Guardians 

Her footsteps pounded against the metal; the echo ringing in her ears. Heavier footsteps reverberated along the walkway. If she listened closely she could just make out his partner fall into stride along side him. If those two caught her together… she would not like to think about the outcome; "Don't think about that!" she thought, "just run!"

Ahead of her: another corridor, more doors, more places to get caught. She skidded to a halt. Where now? She'd tried most doors. All except one; the door second on the right. This led down to the floor below, she was sure of it. She tried the handle. She'd never been down there because it was always…

'Locked!' she exclaimed stepping back and staring. Always. She'd not been the other side; she didn't have the key. How could they trust her with that? How could they trust someone like her, desperate to get away? She was about to give in. She was about to try somewhere else, resign herself for the fact that she would be caught again. When something miraculous happened; the door was opened!

*

She'd not wanted to go there. But she wasn't left much choice. She had lived in a small mountainous village in Canada, with her foster mother and father and their two twin daughters. She didn't know where her parents were. She just remembered waking up and there were two blonde eight year olds staring down at her. She only knew one thing. She was a mutant.

She hadn't told them that. She didn't know how they would respond. She just kept quiet. She had intended to stay quiet, stay with them, but then there came the accident.

Her "foster" parents had suggested they went walking. She grumpily agreed. They were walking when the rockslide struck. At first it was a few small pebbles, and then the whole of the mountainside above them collapsed upon itself and rushed towards them. The girls screamed. The parents yelled. An earthen barrier rose from the ground and shielded them from the rockslide. When the avalanche had ended, the barrier disappeared into the cliff it had come from. Throughout all this, she had not said a word.

Back home, once the girls were in bed, the parents questioned her about the shield that had saved them. She admitted to everything. They were silent for a while before telling her to pack her stuff. Taking into account the fact she had saved them they would give her two hours before calling the police. She was among a family who disliked mutants, now they simply feared her. She didn't object; she just packed and left.

That was how she found herself, two hours later, in the back of a van travelling south. The lads who had picked up this strange hitchhiker thought themselves very lucky. They were already in trouble with their boss for losing a serving boy. Then they found this girl, on the side of the road and nowhere to go. They offered to take her to the city, to place they knew, where she could get a bed and food in return for a simple chore. They did not tell her how long she would have to stay there.

So they took her to the den of thieves. There she was forced into working for them; cooking, cleaning, snooping round banks, checking for the police or MRD, doing the dirty work the thieves didn't want to do. She'd never killed, not yet. But she had seen people die: innocent people who were just wrong place, wrong time; bank managers, policemen, a couple of prison guards tortured first for information on the boss' second who had got himself caught. She hated it there. She hated them.

It has nearly been one year.

She has made eighteen different attempts to escape. Only now had she got this far.

*

As soon as the door opened, she shot through it like a cork. That surprised the person on the other side. She smiled slightly at them then set off down the stairs. Half way down, she realised the person who had so kindly opened the door for her was not a thief. He had been a mutant. If he went the other side of the door he would run into the two toughest fighters out of her division. He will almost certainly lose. Her feeling of justice won over that of fear. She turned and ran back.

Too late. He had already gone through. She sighed, opened the door slightly and peered through. She heard a grunt of pain as the stranger was thrown into the wall next to her. Her eyes flicked from him to "Strongman" – the leader's favourite thief (whose name suited him better than his reputation) – whose shadow was thrown suddenly across the door. She squealed and stepped back. The door was pushed off its hinges and came to rest at her feet. Slowly, she backed into the banister. Strongman chuckled menacingly. Behind him, Screecher, Strongman's partner – a mousey lad with spiky brown hair and small, dark eyes; he had a nasty reputation of being one of the best torturers who could get information without touching the victim – chuckled.

'Got you now, Runaway. Perhaps this time they'll let me introduce you to some of my appliances. This creature certainly would knock us back into Boss' good books, hey Strong?'

Strongman laughed again and put one foot on the broken door. Big mistake.

She hadn't used her ability whilst she had been caught, except to get out of visits to Screecher's lair. She wasn't planning of ever having to go there at all. So close to escaping, she wasn't going to let these two stop her. She raised her right hand.

The door tilted suddenly away from her. Strongman, who wasn't expecting it, yelped and slipped backwards. He landed on top of Screecher. Screecher began to yell and beat his thin fists against Strongman's bulk. She took her chance.

She dived through the door and tugged at the boy, who was still wincing after his sudden collision with the wall. Ignoring his complaints, she pulled him upright and set off down the stairs, dragging him after her. Then, he vanished.

She looked back. Her hand was clasped on empty air. He'd just gone. She turned to face the way she was going. She ran pelt into him. She cried out in surprise and struggled back just as the door flew towards her. She turned to see it. Then it vanished.

She looked around. The door hadn't gone, she had. She had moved. The boy was looking at her; she could feel his gaze. She turned to face him. She was shocked at what she saw.

The boy was blue. He had a mop of dark hair falling over his blue skinned face, his yellow eyes gleaming in the gloom of the stairwell. He was dressed in a tight suit of some kind. His face was concerned.

'Are you alright?' his voice had a slight German accent – she thought it was German anyway. She glanced at him.

'Have we moved?'

The boy laughed softly. She blushed. To him it probably seemed a stupid question. But she'd never teleported before.

'Ya, we've moved. But don't get idea's that I can teleport you to freedom. I can only teleport if I can see the destination.' She blushed again.

'How do you… what do you mean…'

'You're running away. That's what they said,' he nodded up at the floor above. She listened. She could hear Screecher yelling at Strongman for throwing the door and letting them get away. She smiled slightly. He caught the smile, 'Why?'

'If you lived here, you'd understand.' She looked at him then looked away. Why was she finding it so difficult to keep eye contact?

The boy shrugged his shoulders. 'Probably.' He was still gazing at her. From above they heard Strongman roar.

'Come on,' she pushed past him and gripped his arm, trying to tug him towards the second flight of stairs, 'let's go…'

'I can't,' he slowly detached his arm from her vice like grip and headed towards the stairs heading up, 'I have a job to do. I have to… get something.'

'What?' she wasn't hearing this, she cannot be hearing this. 'You broke into here only to steal something! Must be very important!'

'It is,' he turned and looked back at her, 'I have only half an hour left until they call the police… they don't want the thieves getting away.'

'Who? Who'll call the cops?'

'The people I'm with,' he was trying not to answer her.

'Who are you with?'

'The X-men…' his reply was barely more than a whisper. Now she was beginning to understand. Why else would a mutant appear here?

She heard Strongman begin to descend the stairs, his heavy boots clunking on each step. The mutant boy looked up.

'At least he has two flights of stairs to go…'

'What are you here for?'

He glanced at her then away. He shrugged. 'Would you know it if I described it?'

There was a sudden clunk as Strongman hit the floor above them. The boy gazed upwards again nervously. Then…

'Quickly… over here.' He disappeared in a puff of smoke, only to reappear behind her. He held open a door to what looked like a storage area. She hurried through and he shut the door behind them. She heard the lock click. The mutant sighed and turned to her.

'Listen carefully. I might need your help. I am known as Nightcrawler. You can call me Kurt. This is my first mission alone for the X-men and I cannot fail it. I am looking for the information from a simple data bank. It has very little of value on there except two things. One is information about some government minister's mutant problems. Information is on there, about many mutants. That information can be sold on or ransomed: both situations will be rewarded with a large some of money. The second bit of data is plans for a simple device to track mutants. This could be devastating if fallen into the wrong hands because where the X-men are based, many mutants reside for their own, or their families, safety. I need to get this information! You can help me, ya?'

She blinked. She didn't know what to say. Then she took a deep breath and replied, 'I may…'

'You've got to be kidding me!' Kurt snapped angrily, 'I…'

'I understand you need the information. But I was never allowed very far on my own. I tried to escape about nine times in the first four months of me being here. They've not trusted me very much since. I'm sorry.' She could see the disappointment in his eyes. She plucked up her courage and tried again. 'I'm called Lizzie. Though here, I'm known as Runaway. This is my… nineteenth attempt. Though I do know… something…' she watched the light rekindle in Kurt's eyes. She continued, 'I heard a mutant call Visfirmus came to the boss with a memory stick. Said he picked it up off some thieves he met. He demonstrated his "super" strength by wiping out an entire group of thieves. As a reward, the boss let him stay.' Kurt took a sharp intake of breath.

'I heard a rumour of this Visfirmus but I thought he had left…'

Lizzie laughed. 'Oh no… he's here… and they say that the boss wears the memory stick round his neck so he cannot loose it. He hasn't sold it on yet; he'd waiting for the price to rise to an amount he would be interested in. Visfirmus has really settled in here… and brought family with him,' she added wistfully. Kurt tilted his head to one side. She sighed, 'Strongman, the guy back there… the one who through you against the wall. He's Visfirmus' cousin,' she snorted then paused. 'Is it just me, or is too quiet for someone like him…'

She didn't finish the sentence.

A giant hand punched the door open. Lizzie gasped, Kurt leapt towards her. He threw an arm around her waist and they both vanished. They reappeared at the far end of the storage area. Ducking down behind some large crates, they caught their breath.

'Search thoroughly but carefully. If there really is a mutant it might be dangerous. Any idea what it may want, Strongman?' a voice cut through the silence, a strong voice, a voice that knew any command would be done no complaint. Lizzie took a sharp intake of breath.

'That's Leader,' she whispered to Kurt peering round one of the crates, 'he's one of the second in command. Had to bust him out of prison nearly a month back. Strongman's his favourite…' she finished bitterly, 'no wonder he came running if it was Strongman who sent the message.' She glanced sideways at Kurt and was surprised to find him peering over the top of the crate, barely holding on. What she also hadn't noticed about him was that he had a tail. Kurt dropped and landed beside her. He rubbed face wearily. She hadn't noticed he had three fingers til now. She stared at them then caught his gaze and flushed. He smiled, though she didn't see that.

'They've spread out and are really combing the area quickly; they'll soon find us,' he drew her closer and whispered in her ear, 'when we get out, do we go up or down the stairs?'

'Up to the boss, down to the exit.' Lizzie pulled away from him and turned to face him, 'if you remember, I'm running away.'

'Ah, yes…' he glanced round the crate, 'drat, their coming closer; listen if you help me get this memory stick, I promise I'll get you out of here. I assume you have all you want.' He gestured at a brown knapsack slung around Lizzie's shoulders. She nodded. 'Good. So we're agreed?' Another nod. 'Well then, up the stairs we go.' He held out his arm, she took it and they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kurt slightly misjudged the distance they had to go. They reappeared right behind Strongman. Lizzie whipped round the moment they arrived. She saw a fist come swinging towards her, heard Kurt cry out then they were gone again.

They appeared the landing above. Lizzie ran the banister and looked down. She heard Strongman roar, Leader shouting at the thieves still looking then heard Kurt cry out 'Lizzie above you!'

Lizzie staggered back as Screecher landed where she had been. He cackled derisively and started to search his pockets. 'Forgotten about me? Everyone else had. Well now, Screecher's going to catch Runaway and Mutant!' He guffawed again, pulled out a black plastic object and pressed a small, round, black button. A horrendous noise split the air. It reverberated around the enclosed stairwell, which magnified and replayed the ear-splitting drone. Lizzie clamped her hands over her ears. It was so painful. This must be one way Screecher tortured his victims. Behind her Kurt moaned in agony.

'Stop it!' Lizzie pleaded, as she watched Kurt slump to his knees, his hands clasped over his pointed ears. Screecher laughed. He couldn't hear her. He must have earplugs in. Lizzie straightened up. Screecher stared at her, his face split into an evil grim. The grim flickered. Why wasn't she in pain?

Lizzie focused, focused on stopping the air from letting the noise carry. She felt the air listen, the air started to stop buzzing. Behind her, Kurt looked up.

Then she moved. She brought her hands round and sent the air flying towards Screecher. Screecher saw her move, failed to see the air ripple; he was thrown back and hit the wall opposite with a thud. He dropped on top of Strongman who was ascending the stairs. There was a small crunch as Strongman stepped on the Noisemaker. The sound started to stop; only echoes to remind them of the deafening racket there just had been.

She heard Kurt rise. He hurried over to her as she gazed, mesmerized, at where Screecher had hit the wall. 'Come on,' he said, his voice sounding like a whisper now the clamour had ended. He took her hand and started to drag her towards the next flight up. Her trance broke, Lizzie started to run; Kurt just ahead of her.

They came to the broken down door. Kurt made to go through it, but Lizzie simply pointed up. They needed to go up further still if they were to find the Boss. Up another floor, up again to the second from the top floor, through the door, along a corridor and then they walked what appeared to be a large gym area. Thieves looked at them. They looked back, looked at one another, then turned and ran… straight into Strongman and Leader.

'Hello,' Leader said. His voice sounded like sandpaper, but with authority, 'Got you at last. Bind them!' he snapped at a couple of men near him. He turned on his heel to indicate that he was going then paused. 'Oh, and blindfold the mutant.'


	2. Escape

Leader led them back to the stairwell and up the last flight of stairs. Kurt went first, stumbling without his sight and the thieves let him fall. Lizzie gently coaxed him back up and instructed him up the remaining stairs. Leader was waiting for them at the top.

'Sweet,' he said mockingly, holding the door open for them, then hitting Lizzie round the head as she passed him.

The room they entered was large and spacious. There was a clear area in the centre. At the far end sat the Boss, seated in a large leather chair. On his left and right were doors leading to the sleeping quarters for the Boss and Leader and others of Leaders position or to meeting rooms, surveillance rooms and communication to other bases. Lizzie realised that the room was made bigger by two large full length mirrors on either side of the room. Many pictures and maps hung on the walls and thieves were positioned round the room. They weren't focused on the small party entering the room. They had their eyes on what was surrounding their Boss

Surrounding the Boss were the maids who there to serve him; skinny, model-like women with firm busts in petite dresses which were very revealing. Many maids rolled their eyes as Lizzie was pushed in. These were Boss' favourites; those who never ran away; those who didn't mind not having a freedom. Their boss could give them that.

The Boss surveyed the little troop without interest until he saw Kurt. His face cracked into a wide smile. Lizzie was surprised the mirrors didn't smash at how toad like his face had become. The Boss settled back in the leather chair staring at Kurt as he was pushed to the ground. Lizzie held his gaze defiantly when he turned to her then dropped it. Instead she focused on trying to get into her bag without them noticing. Then the Boss spoke.

'Let's start with you then, our little Runaway.' Lizzie felt herself being pushed forwards. She looked the Boss straight in the eye, and then lowered her head. 'Yes, you do make such a fuss about staying here. Pity, I've often found you quite useful if you didn't keep running off. And why? You have nowhere left to go! If I remember rightly, you were forced out of your last home after a slight accident… what was it? Fire in the house?'

'Avalanche in the mountains,' Lizzie corrected. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kurt turn his head to the sound of her voice.

'Speak when you're spoken to!' The Boss bellowed and Lizzie felt a sudden pain as someone hit her round the head. 'Yes, that was it,' the Boss continued, relaxing a little, 'avalanche in the mountains. Did you cause it? I can't image it, but…' he sighed, 'I don't care about such details. This is your eighteenth-'

'Nineteenth,' Lizzie corrected again. She winced again as Leader hit her again. The Boss turned and enquired Leader to justify it. Leader simply nodded.

'Nineteen,' the Boss settled back again, 'that just makes it all the worst. I don't think you've learnt yet. Leader evidently isn't punishing you enough. I hear Screecher would like to get his hands on you… I'll leave you to him as well as your usual punishment. I assume that you agreed that this mutant would help you get free if you helped him…' at this point he turned to Kurt, 'unfortunately, you evidently forgot to mention that you have the worst of luck when it comes to running away. When it came to anything really!'

A maid to Lizzie's right laughed. Lizzie flushed. The Boss lost interest in her and signalled to the thieves behind her. They took hold of either shoulder and pushed her behind them. Lizzie heard the blood pounding in her ears. She couldn't reach into her bag whilst having a guard on either side. One of the maids moved nearer. The Boss had called for Data – a geeky looking, frail lad who wore glasses, had a side parting and an IQ of around 200 to give information about Kurt. Data started reeling off information about Nightcrawler and the X-men (mostly about the X-men) and the thieves started to loose interest. Their defocused eyes soon came to rest on a couple of maids the other side of the room. This gave Lizzie an idea.

The maid who had laughed was a haughty, vain girl named Claudia. She thought herself very good looking and was always trying to get into The Boss' good books. She always wore very short dresses, so short that Lizzie could almost see her buttocks. Data had finished and The Boss was having fun taunting Kurt, trying to see if he would talk. He wasn't getting much in the way of information. Lizzie had to act fast before The Boss' interest in Kurt disappeared.

'Claudia,' Lizzie hissed. Claudia turned to her. Lizzie smiled at her mockingly. 'My! I've never seen you wear such a long dress.'

'That's sarcasm, isn't it?' Claudia said dismissively and turned to go.

'No, I'm just merely stating that it's longer than normal.' Claudia looked down frowning. 'Surely, The Boss would have said if was shorter.'

'He didn't say anything,' Claudia said panicking, starting to tug at her dress skirts, trying to lift them higher. The thieves' attention was caught by the sudden movement.

'Adjust your straps: that should shorten the length and lift your bust!' Lizzie advised. Claudia nodded, adjusting the straps of her dress. The guards' eyes widened. Claudia finished, wiggled and looked in their direction. She gave a flirtatious wink (Lizzie wasn't sure whether this was aimed at her or not) then moved off towards the opposite wall. The guards kept their eyes around the area where her thong was showing. Lizzie leaned forwards, deliberately getting in a guards eye sight. He growled and pushed her roughly backwards into the cover of the shadows.

There she knelt and opened up her bag. She drew from within a box. She opened the box and searched until she found what she was looking for. She ripped the cork from the bottle she was holding and let a few drops fall onto her handcuffs. The metal hissed as the potion burnt through. Then she was free.

Lizzie straightened up and muttered. She directed a small blob of the liquid to float. Out of the bottle, past the guards, under Leader and with a small splash, it landed on Kurt's handcuffs. Thankfully, Kurt wasn't foolish enough – once he had realised that he could move his arms – to immediately act. He would wait until the right time. He turned his head slightly in, what he thought, was her direction and smiled. The Boss mistook the smile.

'You think my threats are funny! You think that just because of who and what you are, you cannot be hurt. In that case, I shall set upon you every torturer in this building until one discovers what you are up to.' Lizzie crept up behind the thieves who where meant to be guarding her. She put her hands on each of their backs. She twisted with her fingers and the guards froze. She smiled. She couldn't remember where she learnt that trick, but she was glad it worked. 'Furthermore, not only you but also the girl will suffer for your silence,' the Boss bellowed furiously, 'Leader, take them both away!' The Boss moved to sit down.

'But I haven't finished yet!' Lizzie said stepping between the guards. The thieves and maids around the room gasped. No-one had yet defied The Boss. The Boss snorted in disgust.

'We are done!' he said, 'if you object, we'll deal with you the way we deal with all who deny me. Thieves, deal with her. Let the mutant stay for this. I want it to hear her cry with pain.'

Lizzie smiled cynically. 'Really think this lot,' she gestured at the thieves who were beginning to move, 'can beat me.' She pointed at herself, mockingly.

'Thieves, have no mercy,' The Boss whispered. Lizzie shrugged. The maids stared. This girl really was suicidal.

The first one had a machine gun. A simple machine to understand: it fires lots of bullets; lots of bullets travel through the air and most hit the target. The thief fired. The bullets shot towards her, but Lizzie had already raised her right hand. The air melted. The temperature between her and the thief rose. By the time the bullets reached her, they were simple blobs of molten metal, which Lizzie forced round her and sent back at the thief. He keeled over backwards covered in the molten mess as it burnt his skin.

The rest threw down their machine guns. They were going to have to try and overcome her by seer amount of numbers. Lizzie waited until they were fairly close before reacting. She swung her left leg up, brought it round in an arc and sent a ripple of air flying. It smashed into several thieves taking down half. Most didn't bother getting back up. Winded, battered or bruised they allowed themselves to be dragged off by their fellows. The other half leapt. Lizzie ducked and curled into a tight ball. A strong barrier of rock enclosed around her forming a tight dome. The thieves punched it til they bled. Then they looked to their Boss for instructions.

'Don't just stand there, use your guns!' bellowed the Boss. He sank into his chair as the men hurried to get their weapons. He allowed one of the maids to pour him a drink, remarked on how short her skirt was and watched as his men began to fire at the dome on the ground. Bullets rebounded off the dome. Then they stopped. The dome was still intact. In disgust, one of the thieves kicked it.

It exploded. Rocks flew everywhere. The room was a blaze with heat. Lizzie stood up. Around her lay men, beaten and burnt. She looked down at them.

'Is that all?' she asked. She looked up at the Boss and took a step towards him.

'One more step and the rodent will get it!' a voice boomed from behind her. Lizzie turned slowly on the spot. Strongman held Kurt in one giant hand. Over his shoulder, Leader smiled mockingly at her. She glared at him.

Leader put his hands to his throat. He chocked, coughed and stared as the air around him slowly disappeared. He gasped and rolled to stare up at Strongman. Strongman looked down unsure of what to do.

'I suggest you drop him, or you may end up having to explain Leader's death to your cousin,' Lizzie said. She was playing on the hope that a rumour about Leader and Visfirmus to be true. She bit her lip. Strongman dropped Kurt. Kurt landed lightly on his feet, wrenched off the blindfold, glared up at Strongman and vanished. He reappeared beside Lizzie.

Kurt looked around at the men on the ground. He looked up at Lizzie. 'Having fun?' he asked. Lizzie flushed.

'Don't…don't just stand there! Strongman… you go… go get your cousin,' The Boss ordered. Strongman hurried out; glad he wasn't made to fight. Lizzie looked at Kurt.

'Time to get what you came for,' she muttered. Kurt winked and vanished. He landed on The Boss' chair. The Boss looked up in fright.

'I'll take that,' Kurt said, leaning down and tugging off the memory stick around The Boss' neck. The Boss whimpered. Kurt was gone. He landed beside Lizzie and held out his arm. She put hers through his and they walked towards the door. No-one stopped them walking out.

In the doorway, Kurt looked back and said, 'by the way, the police should be arriving here now!' He smiled, Lizzie laughed and they walked away from the scene of devastation.

That moment of peace lasted five minuets. As they reached the staircase, they heard a siren and a roar of rage. They peered over the banister, down the centre of the stairwell. Strongman charged towards the sound of the siren far below them.

Lizzie turned to Kurt, 'you can teleport that far can't you?'

'I don't know…' he sounded unsure.

'Well then,' Lizzie said, climbing over the banister, 'let's let gravity do its job, shall we?' Kurt stared at her. Lizzie smiled, winked and stepped backwards. She fell, down. She was still smiling. At the third floor she began to focus, at the second the rush of air hit her and steadied her in time for her to grab hold of the banister to the first floor and pull herself over. She lent out and caught Kurt's outstretched arm as he flew past. There was a puff of smoke and Kurt hit the ground beside her.

They teleported to the ground floor. Kurt took Lizzie's hand and led her through the maze of corridors and out into the ally behind the den. To their left they could hear the sirens of the police and see the blue flashing light reflecting off the wall opposite. Lizzie broke apart from him to take a deep breath of air; her first breath of freedom. Kurt was smiling at her.

'What will you do now?' he asked.

Lizzie smiled. 'I honestly don't know,' she replied, 'I know a small group of mutants, but we were split up. I might go looking for them.'

'All by yourself? How old are you?'

Lizzie stuck her chin out. 'Fifteen next month,' she retorted.

'Still young,' Kurt said.

'What do you suggest?' Lizzie put her head on one side, smiling.

Kurt shrugged uncomfortably. 'You could always come back with… us.' He had been about to say "me". She knew that. Lizzie smiled.

'I'd love to…'

Just then they heard a snarl. They turned to see a hulking, muscular man stroll out of the door way behind them. He only just fit through. He was twice the size of both of them, with massive muscles and a head that seemed tiny in proportion to his body. He snarled again and lunged for them. Kurt caught hold of Lizzie and they vanished as Visfirmus landed where they had been. They reappeared halfway down the ally. Visfirmus roared and started running towards them. He was very speedy for someone so big.

Kurt reached for Lizzie's arm again. 'Come on,' he muttered. Visfirmus was getting closer. Lizzie just kept staring at him. Kurt began to panic. 'Come on!' he said desperately.

'You go,' Lizzie said. Her eyes focused. Visfirmus began to slow down. He was now running as fast as he would in liquid tar. But he was still coming closer.

'Come on, there's a plane at the end of the ally. It's waiting for me. We can make… together.' Kurt took Lizzie's arm again. Lizzie turned to him, her eyes brimming with tears.

'No we won't. At the rate he runs, he'll be upon us as the plane begins to take off, even if we teleport. He'll tear it apart to get at us. I can't slow him down and move at the same time. The moment I stop concentrating, he can move fast again.' She took his hand. 'There's no point both of us being caught again. That memory stick needs to get to the X-men, you said that yourself. You go. I'll try and slow him down.' She smiled; it was a small sad smile. Kurt shook his head trying to pull her away. Just then Visfirmus' fist swung towards them. Up came the earthen barrier but it buckled under the weight. Kurt backed off.

'I don't want to leave…' he began.

'Kurt,' Lizzie said painfully, 'you go, but…' she drew out a small white envelope from her pocket. She had always been planning to send it to her old family, but hadn't. She looked down at it, up at Kurt and put it in his hand. 'Remember me,' she whispered. Kurt stared into her striking green eyes, took the envelope, turned and vanished. From the end of the ally, he heard Visfirmus howl in pain and anger. He knew that Lizzie was unlikely to beat him, but she'd wanted him to go. He'd better acknowledge her last wish.

Kurt briefly acknowledged Storm and Cyclops at the head of the plane before finding a seat half way. Forge turned to him eagerly.

'You've got it?'

'Ya,' Kurt tossed the memory stick to Forge. Forge caught it and stared at it hungrily. Kurt looked out the window. He could no longer see down the ally; darkness had covered it. So she must be still alive, he thought. Then another voice entered his head.

Who is she? Kurt looked up as Jean Grey spun round to face him.

'No-one,' he said, 'just a girl who helped…'

'And gave her life so we could get away,' Jean finished for him. Kurt glared at her angrily.

'I would prefer it if you didn't start messing with my head,' he snapped. Jean looked surprised then hurt. Then she swung back round as the plane took off.

Kurt sighed. He didn't like arguing. He focused on the envelope in front of him. He frowned and opened it. Inside were four photographs and a letter. Kurt put the letter aside and looked at the photos. They were all of Lizzie. They were set with mountains and a field in the background. The sky was blue and Lizzie sat on a fence. In the first one she was reading and two blonde haired girls were tugging at the top. Second she was looking mockingly down the camera, the girls were arguing. Third, all three were pulling funny faces. The fourth was a close up of Lizzie; she was smiling gently. Kurt decided he liked that one best. He put the photos back and opened the letter. It was four words long:

Don't forget me, Lizzie

Kurt sniffed and put it back. He rested his head against the window and tried to see if there was anyone in the ally. He couldn't. He sighed and resigned himself for the long flight back. He would now be accepted as a "real" X-man after his recovery of the memory stick. But the more he thought about it, the more he knew. He hadn't regained the memory stick; Lizzie had.

*

Far below, Lizzie stared up as the plane set off north. She stared up at the sky before turning and setting off in the opposite direction. She had a long journey ahead of her.

Down the ally, the police were searching for the two mutants described to them by the Boss of the thieves. They had come across something blocking the ally. It was Visfirmus: blackened, burnt, broken and most defiantly dead.


	3. Genosha

Eight years later…

'…and what do you think of Senator Kelly's latest mutant registration? Do think that the X-men's days are really numbered like he said?' Isabel put the drinks down on the table and sat down. Jessica pretended she hadn't heard. She didn't want to answer her questions. 'I personally think that all mutants should be registered and restrained from the public, I mean we don't want an incident like what happened last month do we?'

Still no response.

Isabel sighed. 'Earth calling Jess! The drinks are here!'

Jessica could no longer ignore her. She looked round, acting surprised. 'When did you get here? I didn't hear you,' she pretended to gasp and gripped Isabel's wrist. 'Do you think your powers are showing through?'

Isabel laughed, 'not that again! Jess, I'm not a mutant! Will you please stop acting like that! We could get into trouble!'

'Alright,' Jessica let go and brought her drink to her lips. Before sipping, she looked over the glass at her friends and said in a solemn voice, 'though if you start acting out of the ordinary do I permission to run screaming from the club?'

'Yeah! If I start burning people maybe!' Isabel shook her head and laughed. 'You have one weird imagination!'

Jessica thought about this then shrugged. 'Comes with the job, I suppose.' She sipped again and looked back out the window.

Isabel put her head to one side, 'what job?'

'The job of winding you up!'

'Jess!' Isabel exclaimed and playfully kicked her. Jessica grinned. Isabel suddenly gasped and leant forwards. 'OMG! He's here! Ah! Do I look alright? Do you think he'll ask me out this time? OMG! OMG! OMG!'

'Izzi, Izzi, Izzi! You're panicking again! Stop it!' Jessica snapped roughly. 'He'll ask you when he's ready, so act cool!'

'Yeh, yeh!' Isabel agreed, sitting back again. Next moment a blonde boy with a handsome face and grey eyes sat down next to her.

'Hi,' he put his drink down beside theirs.

'Hi,' Isabel sighed, smiling. Jessica merely nodded and looked back out the window. She ignored the conversation striking up beside between Isabel and the newcomer. She was content with staring out the window.

Then something caught her eye.

A figure standing in the shadows, watching, watching her. She leaned forwards. She made out a dark coat, a brown bag and long brown hair. It was girl, she could see that, but she couldn't see anything else. Then the figure stepped into the light.

Jessica was running. She hardly noticed that she knock over her chair (which hit a guy sitting nearby), hardly heard Isabel calling after her. She ran to the door, pulled it open and ran into the street. Isabel followed.

'Jess, what do you think you're doing?'

'She was there!' Jessica pointed across the street. It was empty. Jessica turned to Isabel in frustration. 'I've not seen her for almost ten years and then she's there and because you follow me out, she won't talk to me!' Isabel looked surprised and hurt. Jessica ignored her and pushed her way back into the club. She strode across the dance floor and was intercepted half way.

'What's going on?' Isabel's boy blocked Jessica's way to the bathroom.

'Go away! Leave me alone!' Jessica snapped, shoving roughly past him. Once in the toilets she stopped and breathed. Evidently, she had ruined her chances of talking by making such a big deal out of it. If only she had stopped and thought. There was no way that they would have been able to talk with Isabel listening in. The nightclub would have been too risky to talk but so was talking out on the streets, anyone could hear. Why could she not have stayed? Jessica leaned her head back and whispered to no-one: 'Lizzie, where are you?'

*

Lizzie stopped running when she knew no-one was following. Then she doubled back on herself and started heading south again. It had been so good to see Jessica again, but she only wished that Jessica had been more conscious about getting away subtly. She had to go and make a big deal about it, meaning of course her best friend had followed her. Lizzie sighed and fumbled in the dark for her keys.

The flats loomed up high above her. Lizzie sniffed and opened the front door. She made her way up the stairs, passed Mr Burnham who had passed out after another night of drinking. She carried on going to the seventh floor, her footsteps echoing around the dirty stairwell. It reminded her of a night eight years ago. She shook her head. Best not think about that now. She opened the door to her flat on the seventh floor. She ignored the cold pizza left for her by her temporary boyfriend. He was caring, in his own way, very brash and had a nasty temper. More than once she had had to calm him down using her ability – which often meant knocking him out with whatever object happened to fly into her hand. She walked past his bedroom, from which she could hear him snoring and opened the door to her study.

Her walls were covered with newspaper clipping, many of which had her own notes on. There was a large one just behind her computer of a two page spread which included drawings of what they thought members of the X-men looked like. All the news articles were on the X-men or Brotherhood. On the side of her filing cabinet was a poster of Genosha with a list of names pinned to it: Luke, Max, Kurt, Jessica. The last of these had a line through it. Lizzie sat down at the desk and put her head in her hands. Just for once, she wished she could walk the streets normally, lead a normal life. But she knew that was never going to happen. Her life was far from normal.

Lizzie took down the poster. Magneto looked up at her. She sighed and started to pack. She wanted to know if they were in Genosha. The easiest way to find that out was to visit Genosha. So she better pack quickly.

*

Kurt paced the metal ball continuously. How had it happened? He had made it, he had talked with Logan. How was it that he was now here? Wanda had tried to explain it as a shape shifter had picked him up as he lay unconscious and brought him back. Taken him from the mansion was more precise. How long had he been here? One week, a month? Surely they would be worrying now. Would they send someone out? Someone else to be fooled by the paradise and led into capture.

'Kurt?' Wanda was back. 'Are you… are you alright?' He didn't answer. He heard her sigh and leave. He tilted his head back and rested it against the metal wall. From outside, he heard a roar of anger and several shouts. Probably another mutant they were bringing in. at least, one day, they might be free. But Kurt knew. As long as he sided with the X-men and thought the containing of mutants was wrong, he would never be free, never.

*

'Welcome to Genosha,' Lizzie listened to Magneto welcoming them and couldn't help rejoicing with the rest. But now she was set on finding her friends. She had combed the crowds on the first night for any sign of her missing friends. She could not recall why she needed them, like she couldn't when she first met Kurt, but she knew they needed to get together. Finally, she decided to rest.

As she sat by the fountain reading, every so often watching a mutant lad shape the water, a shadow suddenly fell across her. Looking up, she recognised the woman as the Scarlet Witch – Magneto's daughter – so she stood to acknowledge her. She smiled.

'Good Afternoon, I was just wondering about the book,' she nodded to the book in Lizzie's hands.

'This,' Lizzie handed it over, 'it's alright, but the description does go on a bit too long. Why?'

'Oh, I have a friend, who's blind, so I read to him.' Wanda turned the book over and then went to hand it back. Lizzie raised a hand and shook her head. 'Thank you.' The Scarlet Witch turned and began to walk away. Lizzie hesitated for a moment, before running after her.

'Err… Miss…um…'

'Call me Wanda,' she said, facing Lizzie.

'Wanda, I was thinking. I've got some friends who I'm looking for, but I can't find them. I was wondering whether you might know if they are here.'

'What are they called?'

'There's Max. He can manipulate technology: metal, electricity sometimes…'

'The only people I know who can manipulate metal are my father and sister.

'Oh… well there's Luke, he's a shape shifter and…'

'Shape shifter…' Wanda was looking at Lizzie strangely. Lizzie glanced over her shoulder then back at Wanda.

'Yeh… what… is he here?'

'He might be. Excuse me; I need a word with my father.' She walked away. Lizzie smiled and went back the fountain. She played with the water for a while before deciding to go back to her room.

*

'Father! I need to talk to you!' Wanda called across the room. Magneto stopped in the process of following Lorna, Wanda's half sister, out of the room.

'Wanda, if this is about the X-man…'

'No! A different mutant has come to me, questioning me about whether some friends of hers are here. One of the friends she mentioned… is a shape shifter. I was wondering if I could take her down to the cells, in case she happens to know the one we have down there and why he acts so… strangely.'

*

'Where are we going?'

'Somewhere you shouldn't be.'

'Is Luke there?'

'Might be, that's why we're going.'

Together, Lizzie and Wanda entered the cells. Lizzie's jaw dropped. She turned to Wanda with a horrified expression.

'What's this?' Wanda didn't answer. Lizzie went to the edge and looked round. All she could see were cages, bars, cells and a sphere of metal in the centre. She moved towards it. Wanda caught her arm shaking her head, indicating for her to follow.

They passed many cells. The inhabitants looked bored inside; though many seemed interested in why a mutant would come down to the cells of her own free will. Had the Scarlet Witch tricked her? Deeper and deeper Wanda led Lizzie. Then from up ahead came a monstrous snarl. Lizzie flinched.

There was a boy chained to the wall in one of the cells, but he looked nothing like how she thought he would. He had grown hair all over his face and hands, his fingers had claws similar to Wolverine's (except they came out of his fingers) and he even had a tail. He glared at them with golden eyes and snarled again. Wanda started back by Lizzie moved forward. The closer she came the angrier the boy became until she was next to the bars by which time it had become mad with an uncontained fury.

'Luke…' she whispered. The thing snarled. She looked back at Wanda, fury in her eyes. 'Why did you chain him up?'

'Why do you think? It was difficult enough trying to catch him. We want the other to feel safe. That's why he's here.' Wanda came and stood beside Lizzie. 'Do you think you can help?'

Lizzie sighed. 'I can, but I haven't got it here. It's up in my room. Besides, we need to devise a way to keep him still whilst I give it to him.'

'That's what the chains are for.'

Lizzie laughed. 'You really don't know Luke. The thing inside him… it's trying to kill me,' Lizzie was just as surprised as Wanda at that. She rubbed her face wearily. Her past kept sneaking up on her, revealing new things to her all the time. Trouble was, she knew things like this, but couldn't explain how. She continued, 'we need to make sure it cannot lash out at me.'

'What if my father…'

'Mentally, I mean, what if he lashes out mentally? Not everyone has a helmet like your father's or can block your mind like I can.' Another bit of information she didn't know. Lizzie sighed. She must get out of the habit of giving away hints of her past like that. Otherwise she might find herself in deep water, or one of the cells. She had a feeling that not all the mutants there were there because they were a threat to the mutant community above.

Wanda didn't say anything though. She sensed that the young girl was troubled by the things she said, so she didn't press them. They left and started to walk back towards the exit. As they passed the sphere, Lizzie stopped.

'Who's in there?' she asked.

'Oh!' Wanda didn't know what to say. Tell the truth, a voice in her head said, but don't mention his name. What are the chances that she'll know a mutant like that? 'The mutant in there was… a spy. He's a teleporter, but needs to see a place before he can land there.'

'Can't teleport very far then,' Lizzie commented causally. Though her voice was cool, her heart was racing. She did know a mutant like that!

*

The next time Lizzie was in the containment unit, she was alone. She wanted, not to see Luke, but to confirm her fears about who was in the ball. She walked cautiously up to it and whispered 'Kurt?'

From within, there came a long, weary sigh. 'Wanda, I'm not in the mood…'

'I'm not Wanda,' Lizzie said. She had to be patient; he couldn't see her. She thought back to the only time they met. He probably thought her dead. There was a pause from inside.

'If you're not Wanda, who…?'

'Oh, Kurt,' Lizzie whispered mournfully. 'You've forgotten me already?'

Inside the ball, Kurt spun round. He went to the edge and whispered the name which he had cherished for eight years, 'Lizzie?'

*

For the third time in a week, Lizzie was down amongst the cells. This time, she was surrounded by Wanda, Magneto and two of Magneto's henchmen. They approached Luke's cell. Magneto raised a hand and the grill swung open. Luke snarled. Lizzie gulped. The two henchmen sidled along the side until they were just out of reach of Luke's claws. Lizzie edged forward, drawing out of her pocket a little golden bottle. Luke saw the bottle. He began to thrash violently. Lizzie glanced at Magneto.

'Secure him,' Magneto ordered. The two either side moved closer. Luke stopped thrashing.

Then the visions started.

Lizzie heard Wanda gasp, heard Magneto calling her name, and heard the two guards roaring with agony. She herself was back in the thieves' den, being beaten after running away; there was Kurt and Strongman holding Kurt. But something was different. He wasn't letting go. Kurt would die, Strongman will kill him.

'You said you could shut them out,' a voice taunted in her ear. 'But you've forgotten how to!'

They were in the ally. Visfirmus was bearing down on them; she was telling Kurt to go, he wasn't, he wouldn't leave her. Why wouldn't he…? Then she saw it. Just over Kurt's shoulder: Luke, in chains, stuck to the wall. This wasn't real. Around Luke's forehead were two bands of green light, the same kind of bands were protruding from the back of his hands. It wasn't real.

It was over. The thought Luke was putting in her head sounded muffled, indistinguishable. He was glaring at her, with those golden eyes he should have. She heard a cry of pain. Wanda. She turned and knelt beside her. Magneto was also trying to awaken his daughter. Lizzie sighed and put her hands either side of Wanda's head. Magneto didn't push her away, just looked at her. Lizzie sighed and let her mind connect with Wanda's though Luke.

She was inside a large metal capsule. It was total round and on the far side stood Wanda. She wasn't looking at Lizzie. She struggling against a blond curly haired boy and they were both looking at someone who was floating in the middle. Lizzie gasped.

It was Kurt. Not much of him had changed, except he looked older. He was still blue, still had three fingers and toes, and still had a tail. But something wasn't right. He seemed to be writhing in pain. The blond boy laughed and Wanda cried out. Lizzie set her face and walked towards them. Ignore him, it isn't real, ignore him, she told herself. She was now standing right next to them. Wanda still wasn't looking at her, but the boy had noticed her. His shocked look became one of anger and fury. Lizzie drew back her fist.

'You asked for it,' she said simply and punched him straight in the face. The vision vanished in an instant. They were back in the cell. Wanda looked up at Lizzie; Lizzie saw the surprise in her eyes and the fear. Kurt was X-man, why would Wanda most fear him getting hurt? Unfortunately, that question was never asked. For at that moment, Luke broke free of his bonds.

They heard the snap. They all looked round. Luke stood, panting, glaring at Lizzie. Lizzie gulped.

'Ah!' was all she said. Then she was running, stuffing the bottle back into her bag. She heard Luke howl and heard him come after her. She kept on running. Up ahead was the ball Kurt was stuck in. beneath it was a fairly big shadow. A though struck Lizzie. She dived and rolled underneath the ball. A second later, nothing could be seen of her. She had vanished into the shadow.

She hid not a moment too soon. Luke came loping round the corner after her, snarling at the inhabitants of the cells he passed. He paused, sniffing trying to catch her scent. Beneath the orb, the shadow stiffened. Luke growled with annoyance, and then galloped off along another path.

'Lizzie?' Kurt called through the wall.

'I'm sorry, Kurt,' Lizzie muttered back, 'I'll come back for you. I promise. Just, don't forget…' with that she slid out from underneath and ran for the exit. She heard a roar and Luke was after her. Lizzie focused and forced a way. An arch appeared in the wall, wavered for a moment and then stood strong. Lizzie dashed through it and closed it shut behind her. Luke skidded to a halt. He smelt his prey fleeing to the outside. He snarled and dived at the door. Smashing through it, he made his way towards the outside.

Lizzie ran through the last arch and into the open air. She turned to shut it and glimpsed someone moving at the far end of the fake prison. She took one step back and crashed into someone.

'Oh!' she cried.

'Ouch!'

'Polaris! Oh no!' Lizzie helped the green haired girl to her feet. She stared at her.

'What's going…?' she began. Then Luke crashed through the wall next to them.

'Gotta run!' Lizzie yelled and without an explanation she began to run away from Luke. She heard Polaris scream and, looking back, saw her on the ground clutching her stomach, winded. But Luke wasn't interested in her. He was baying for Lizzie's blood. Why? Lizzie thought what have I done to annoy it that much? She skidded round the corner and carried on running. Behind her came the beating of wings. Darn it, she thought, did Luke have to have the ability to fly? She turned another corner and ran into the square with the fountain. Perfect, she thought.

She stopped beside the fountain and turned to face Luke. He landed and drew his claws. He came towards her, menacingly. Lizzie put back one hand. She willed the water to obey her then flung her hand forwards. The water leapt out of the fountain and hit Luke square in the chest. He was pushed back, but kept moving forwards. Lizzie tried again: from the left, right, left. Luke was coming closer. In desperation, Lizzie called upon all the water in the fountain and raised both hands towards Luke. A rush of water flew past her gathering force and hitting Luke in the stomach. He was thrown backwards.

Not even waiting to see whether he was alright, Lizzie turned and ran on. She knew she hadn't stopped him, only slowed him down. She heard a roar as Luke realised that she was getting away. Then he was after her again. In a panic, Lizzie dived down one path then another then came face to face… with a wall. She had run into a dead end.

She whipped round as Luke landed. He smiled at her and drew his claws again. She was out of options. She couldn't run. Unless…

She slowly drew her knife as Luke came towards her. She was her trust in something she read in a diary she found in her bag. She thought it was hers. She'd have to hope it was right. If it wasn't…

If it wasn't then it was over.


	4. Surprise

Luke saw the knife. Lizzie tightened her grip on it. Luke snorted and pounced. Lizzie stepped back, tossed the knife to her left hand, brought up her right and slashed the knife across her wrist. Blood steamed from the cut. Luke stopped. Lizzie dropped the knife and raised her left hand, bringing the blood into her eye line. She was just as surprised as the thing in Luke.

Her blood wasn't red.

It was cloudy white.

Luke snarled and leapt for her again. Lizzie side-stepped and flung her arm out. The blood sailed through the air and hit Luke on the side of the face. Luke howled in pain. Lizzie stared.

Luke's claws were being forced back into his fingers; his hair was shooting backwards into his body; the tail was retracting, until all that was left was the blond curly haired boy that Lizzie had seen in Wanda's vision.

Luke looked down at himself then turned and hissed at Lizzie. Lizzie raised her left hand again. A spire shot out of the wall next to Luke. It caught him in his side and sent him shooting back down the path. He landed on his back.

Without pausing to think why she was doing it, Lizzie had pulled out the little bottle again, wrenched out the stopper, run to Luke's side and tipped half the contents down his throat. There came a horrible noise. A shiver was sent down Luke. He squirmed and wriggled then fell still. Lizzie sat beside him, panting.

Luke opened his eyes. They were no longer gold; instead they were a deep, chocolate brown.

'Whoa! My head hurts!' he sat up, 'where…?' He looked round and spotted Lizzie. 'Lizzie!' His face split into a welcoming smile. 'Oh my goodness I'm glad to see you!' He reached for her. Lizzie withdrew tensely. Luke looked at her, concerned. 'What's wrong…?' Then he noticed her wrist. The cut was still open, but it wasn't bleeding as heavily, the wound looked nothing more dangerous than a paper cut. Luke sighed and took hold of her wrist. Lizzie felt a calming sensation as if the cut was being cleansed with cold water. When Luke released her, the cut was gone.

Lizzie stared at it. 'How did you do that?' she asked.

Luke looked puzzled, 'you know.' Lizzie shook her head. 'What do you mean, you don't know?'

'I… I can't remember… anything…' Lizzie started.

Luke took a sharp intake of breath. 'You can't remember… anything?' Lizzie shook her head again. Luke whistled, 'Not even what we stand for? What the guardians are? How you got your powers?'

'I wasn't born with them then?' Lizzie asked.

Luke stared at her. 'Of all the people to forget…' he broke off, staring at Lizzie. 'But you remembered then. You knew that that potion cured me. You knew that your blood stops mutant abilities from working-'

'What!' Lizzie cried.

Luke blinked. 'I'm guessing you didn't know that,' he said.

'No, I didn't!' Lizzie said alarmed by how little she knew about herself.

Luke shook his head. 'So how did you know…?'

'I found this,' Lizzie drew out of her bag a small book bound in blue leather. She handed it to Luke. To her surprise, he was smiling again.

'Of course, you kept a diary! So you found this, read it and worked out that by cutting yourself you could stop me.' He looked up at her. 'You need to keep this safe,' he said quietly, handing the diary back, 'if that fell into the wrong hands…' he shuddered. Lizzie looked at the book.

'Luke,' she said quietly, 'I need you to tell me why I need to get the Guardians…?'

'Thank goodness you're alright!' a voice interrupted. They looked round. Wanda was standing, hands on hips, glaring at Luke. Lizzie recognized Pyro and Mellencamp appear behind Wanda. 'Right, now he's under control, we can take him back down and…'

'No!' Lizzie exclaimed, jumping to her feet, 'No! You can't take him.'

Wanda looked surprised then angry. 'What do you mean "you can't take him"? Have you forgotten that he just tried to kill you?'

'He wasn't himself,' Lizzie explained, 'he was being controlled. The potion brought him back, the real him. You can't take him. I need him… I need him to help me remember!'

Wanda was surprised by this last sentence. She considered the young adult before her. If she had been able to beat the beast inside the boy by herself – after it had taken her father, Wanda and many other helpers to beat him before – then she must be powerful enough to keep him under control. Wanda nodded and turned to go. 'As long as he doesn't create havoc like last time, he may stay with you.'

'I don't think you should worry about Genosha. We're not planning on staying here.' Lizzie helped Luke to his feet and muttered something to him. He nodded and ran past Wanda, turned a corner and set off towards the fountain square. Wanda followed him with her eyes then gestured to Mellencamp. He nodded and galloped after Luke. Wanda felt Lizzie pass her. She looked down surprised into her startlingly green eyes. Lizzie smiled. 'Thank you,' she said. Pyro slouched off and Lizzie held Wanda back as she turned to go.

'Look after Kurt for me, won't you. Make sure he isn't hurt or I'll bring something far worse than Luke back.' She smiled slightly at Wanda's shock and strolled away towards the sea.

Wanda paused for a moment then hurried after her. 'What will you bring?' she asked after Lizzie had finally stopped.

Lizzie considered her for a minute then looked out towards the sea. 'I was thinking of a dragon,' she said and laughed at the amazement and horror on Wanda's face. Her laugh made Wanda blush. Then there came the sound of beating wings and Luke landed beside Lizzie.

'Got it,' he said, holding up Lizzie's leather satual. Lizzie smiled, took it and slung it over one shoulder. Luke had one himself. His was made of leather too, but it was black.

She smiled friendly at Wanda and held out her hand. 'Until we meet again,' she said.

Wanda took her hand and shook it smiling. 'Let's hope next time you come, it will be with the absences of a dragon.'

'I don't know,' Luke said, also shaking Wanda's hand, 'Jess does like to travel by dragon. It makes her feel powerful.' With that the two turned and headed out towards the sea. Polaris, who had been watching, came and stood beside her sister.

'Do you think they really meant it about the dragon?' she asked nervously.

Wanda sighed, 'unfortunately, yes I do.' She left Polaris standing, watching Lizzie and Luke and headed down towards the cells. She approached the globe in the centre and said, 'Kurt?'

'Yes Wanda?' came his ever-ready reply.

Wanda took a deep breath and said, 'I want you to tell me everything you know about an Elisabeth Evens.'

*

'It's great to be with you again,' Lizzie said as she strolled across the waves, 'even if you do look weird in fish mode. You make me feel... special.'

Luke twisted round in the water until his scaly face was facing her and said smiling, 'you are special. But you don't remember. So I hope we can find someone to put that right.'

'Do you mean a telepath?' Lizzie asked.

Luke laughed and dived under. He re-emerged from the water a little way ahead and called back, 'if we needed a telepath, wouldn't I do?' Lizzie sighed. Luke grinned and dived again. He came up with a small splash to Lizzie's left. 'Man! It's good to be free again. I thought I'd go mad in those cells.'

'You did go mad,' Lizzie corrected him, 'then tried to kill me. Remember?'

'Oh yeah,' Luke chuckled. He submerged himself in the salty sea water for a third time and surfaced behind Lizzie. He swam up and soon fell into to stroke with her stride. 'So where are we heading?'

'I don't know,' Lizzie admitted, 'but somewhere near Jessica would be good. Unfortunately, when I revealed to my boyfriend that I was a mutant and that I would be heading to Genosha, he swore, booted me out of the flat and called the MRD on me. I'm sure I won't be welcomed back there again.' Luke swore and Lizzie glared at him. 'He wasn't a bad boyfriend. Just didn't like mutants. He had a fair amount of money.'

Luke looked up at her suspiciously, 'you never…'

'Yuck! No way! I've actually never liked him. But I was broke and needed a place to stay and lie low. He provided everything, except…' she stopped. Luke returned to swimming silently. Soon a town came into view on the horizon. Lizzie stopped and Luke bobbed beside her. 'We'd better find a boat,' Lizzie said, 'we can't just walk in…'

'Or,' Luke said and dived. Seconds later he burst out of the sea; his gills and scales gone and instead he had an impressive pair of white feathered wings, 'I could fly us to a motorway and we hitch a lift in.'

Lizzie sighed and lifted her arms for him to lift her up. Up they flew, round the town and Luke landed them in a wooded area. They walked down to the motorway and stuck out their thumbs. After a while, a woman in a red BMW pulled over and they climbed in.

'Thanks,' Lizzie said as she shut the door, 'you can drop us off in town.'

'Alright,' the woman said and she rejoined the traffic heading in. a few minutes later, a MRD van sped past them, going the other way. 'Looks like picked you up just in time,' the woman remarked, 'you might have been caught as suspected mutants.' She looked at them carefully in the mirror.

Lizzie pretended to shudder. 'Or we could have been caught by the mutants. Dirty things aren't they!' she sniffed, acting degusted.

The woman paused, 'you're not mutants are you?' she asked.

'No!' Luke said sharply, 'but if I start breathing fire, you have full permission to stop the car and kick us out.'

'Luke, that wasn't funny,' Lizzie said sharply. She fiddled with her thumb nail and sniffed. The woman stopped watching them and carried on driving. As soon as she looked way, Lizzie and Luke exchanged warning glances at each other.

The woman dropped them off, just outside the city centre. As Luke got out, she stopped him and asked, 'that girl… she… is she alright?'

'Yeah,' Luke remarked, 'she's fine. She just doesn't like talking about mutants.' He lowered his voice and muttered, 'her brother was killed by one.' Then he got out, leaving the woman in a shocked trance.

As they walked off, Lizzie tugged at Luke's sleeve and said, 'was my brother killed by a mutant?'

Luke laughed, 'no! I made that up to shock her into believing us. Hey, it's a good alibi for a reason for you to hate mutants, isn't it?'

'Possibly,' Lizzie murmured, twisting the black lace she wore on her left wrist round and round. Luke looked at it.

'What's that?' he asked.

'I don't know,' Lizzie said, 'I was wearing it when I was first found. I was hoping you might tell me what was significant about it.' She looked up at him.

Luke paused then said, 'I don't know but it reminds me of something… someone…'

Then he was interrupted as they turned the corner and walked into someone.

Jessica staggered backwards, took one glance at who she had walked into, squealed with delight and flung her arms around his neck. 'Luke!' she cried, 'Oh my, I had no idea…' she broke apart and instead hugged Lizzie. 'Wow,' she stepped back, 'it's great to see you two.'

Luke was first to recover from this sudden attack of hugs. He grinned and flung an arm around Jessica saying, 'it's great to see you to!' Lizzie simply nodded.

'Um… are you going to introduce us?' a dark girl standing with Jessica asked. Her dark chocolate hair was held in a number of braids decorated with differntent coloured ribbons. Her black eyes travelled from Luke, who looked as cool as ever, to Lizzie. Her eyes narrowed.

Jessica turned to her flushing. 'Sorry Izzi, um… this is Isabel,' she said turning to Luke and Lizzie, 'she's my friend-'

'-best friend' Isabel interrupted.

'Yeah,' Jessica agreed, reddening further still, 'best friend. Um, Izzi, this is Luke and Lizzie. They are two of my oldest friends.'

'Were they from when you were in the orphanage?' Isabel asked.

'Before then,' Jessica replied happily. She turned Lizzie sheepishly. 'Err… Lizzie could I ask you something?' Lizzie raised an eyebrow that Jessica took to be a yes. 'Could we meet at the Lemon Cross Café next Tuesday? At noon? I'd like to catch up with everything.' Lizzie shrugged and nodded. Jessica smile, 'Brilliant. See you there.' She put her arm through Isabel's and matched off, Isabel pestering her with questions and always looking back over her shoulder at Luke.

Luke raised his eyebrows. 'Great, now her friend has a crush on me.'

Lizzie sighed and pulled at his arm, 'come on. We've got to find somewhere to stay for the night.'

*

Kurt was hiding something from her, Wanda could tell. She paced her room, irritated at the blue elf as he refused to tell her anything, saying he didn't know an "Elisabeth Evens". He hadn't really said anything when Wanda had called her Lizzie and eventually Wanda had given up in frustration. What if that Lizzie had been part of the X-men? If so, she had just handed the X-men back a powerful ally with important information. They would try and stop mutants coming to Genosha.

Wanda stopped pacing and went to her window. What if the X-men attacked? If Lizzie told them about Kurt, how he was, they would surely come and attack, try and reclaim him. But her father could beat them. Wanda smiled. Even Lizzie couldn't win against an island of mutants. No they were safe. Whatever Lizzie did, they were safe.

Wanda sighed and picked up the book Lizzie had leant her. Perhaps if she read to Kurt he might open up. Wanda sighed and left the room.

*

Lizzie sat in the café, waiting. Jessica was late. Lizzie tossed back her auburn hair and stared into the crowd trying to catch a glimpse of Jessica. The waitress came to her and asked her whether she would like anything. Lizzie declined the offer, saying she would have something when her friend arrived. Truth was she had no money on her. Luke had gone to the bank to get out enough money to pay for their night's stay in a B&B. The old couple who had let them in were giving them the chance to pay later; they had asked to stay there a week. Lizzie had left her bag there to prove that they would be coming back. She was just thinking of this when Jessica dropped into the seat opposite.

'Happy Birthday, Lizzie,' Jessica said happily handing Lizzie a neatly wrapped present. Then she reached down and placed a larger box on the table. Opening it, she revealed a large chocolate cake with "Happy Birthday Lizzie" written on it in white icing. Lizzie stared at her.

'It's my birthday,' she said incredulously.

'Yes!' Jessica said happily, 'you probably lost track of time; living in the wild, on Genosha.' She helped herself to a slice of cake. 'Mmm, this is delicious! Ah, well? Aren't you going to open you're present?' Lizzie smiled and ripped off the wrapping paper to reveal a small box. Opening it, she saw a pair of silver, heavily detailed earrings.

'These are beautiful.'

'They're very useful too. Max made them. You know Max. Anyway, put them in and they inject a chemical into you which makes you act like a human for as long as you wear them. I often have to. They're dead useful when the MRD raids houses or schools. Plus, if anyone asks you to take them out the chemical still works for a while. Cool, eh?'

Lizzie smiled, 'does the chemical have a bit of my blood in it?'

Jessica shrugged, 'I don't know. You made it.'

Lizzie looked up, 'what?'

Jessica looked stunned, 'you made it. You made the potion Max used. Don't you remember?'

'She doesn't remember anything. Her memory goes back nine years; she cannot remember anything beyond that.' Luke sat down in the spare chair and grinned at Lizzie, 'Happy Birthday.'

'You knew,' Lizzie said, 'you knew what today was and you didn't tell me.'

'I wanted it to be a surprise,' Luke said unhappily, 'but if that upset you…'

'No, I'm not upset,' Lizzie sighed and put down the earrings, 'well actually, I am… today marks two other occasions.' Luke and Jessica looked at her in surprise. 'Today, nine years ago, the Williams set a letter off to ask whether they could adopt me. I didn't know when my birthday was, just my age, so we made it up. I've been celebrating the ninth of June for nine years now. It was on the ninth of June when I saved them in the mountains and they realised I was a mutant. On the ninth of June, they drove me out of their house. That's when I was caught by the thieves and made to work for them. The other occasion that happened today, eight years ago, was that I finally escaped the thieves. I had always been scared of using my ability there in case I would be set upon like at the Williams or killed. But then I met a mutant and I realised that it might be alright if I was with him…' she broke off. Jessica and Luke looked at one another.

'Sorry Lizzie,' Jessica said tentatively, 'we didn't know.'

'Do you know what happened to the mutant?' Luke asked.

'I met him again at Genosha,' Lizzie said simply. She couldn't bare to say any more. The waitress came over and they ordered drinks. Jessica paid.

She started explaining the earrings to Luke and handed him a wristband made of the same silvery metal promising that it would do the same, but Lizzie wasn't listening.

In the end, after a round of drinks and several helpings of cake, Jessica bid them goodbye promising to be in touch about meeting up again. Lizzie nodded and thanked her for the present and cake. Jessica just laughed.

As they packed up and walked back towards the B&B, Lizzie asked, 'today's the sixth of May, isn't it?' Luke nodded and looked at her quizzically. Lizzie just shook her head and smiled, 'I've thought today was special. I didn't know how, but it was special. Good things always happened today…'

Then they heard a scream.

'Jess,' they said in unison and began to run. They rounded a corner and stood in a dark ally. On the floor lay Jessica's bag.

'Oh no…' Lizzie muttered as people began to crowd round. She bent down and fingered Jessica's bag, 'who do you think's got her?'

'A mutant probably seeing there seems to be no trace of anyone here,' Luke said knowledgably.

Lizzie opened the earring box and looked up at him. 'Do you think they'll hurt her?' she asked as she slowly took out the studs she had in and put in the silver earrings. They hurt slightly as the needle punctured her skin sending the chemical into her body.

Luke sighed and slipped on his wrist band and winced. 'I hope not,' he murmured.

Lizzie paused. 'Why do you think they went for her?' she asked. Luke shrugged as he reached for Jessica's bag. Inside there was Jessica's purse, an address book and a newspaper clipping. Luke scanned the headline and gasped. The heading read "Mutant kidnapping begins."

But the girl in photo beneath was Jessica.

*

They sat there until the police arrived: Lizzie clutching Jessica's bag and Luke holding her close. He thought that this was probably the first time she had lost a great friend. He was wrong, but she didn't tell him that. When the sirens and flashing lights finally brought them back to a sudden reality, Luke helped her up and they allowed themselves to be taken off. Some passers by were taken too, witnesses they called themselves. But none of them had seen what they had. Someone had sent Jessica that clipping. Either they were teasing her or forewarning her.

'Max, most likely,' Luke explained to Lizzie later, 'he's the one with the ability over time.'

'I thought it was technology,' Lizzie said confused.

'That too,' Luke grunted.

'How can that be possible?' Lizzie asked, even more confused.

'It's through time that technology is developed,' Luke said as if that answered it.

They were seated in a dark room, checked over by MRD officers – who cleared them as human thanks to Jessica's gifts – then questioned about what had happened. Luke answered everything. Lizzie just sat, head bent, trying to stop the images forcing themselves into her mind: The Williams' faces when they discovered the truth, Kurt face of pain as Screecher tormented him, Visfirmus' scorched corpse in the ally, Kurt as Strongman held him in one hand, Luke in the cells, Jessica's bag lying in the ally, Kurt in Wanda's vision as Luke tortured him. Lizzie's grip stiffened on the bag and then she felt a pair of rough hands trying to take it from her.

'No! No!' she cried and gripped it tighter still. She heard a voice calling her name, but she defied the hands reaching for it, twisting away from them. She began to cry and the hands stopped coming for her. She listened to voices talking, footsteps, someone was reaching for her. Luke gently helped Lizzie to her feet and led her from the room.

When she finally opened her eyes, Lizzie found herself in a cosy, living room kind of room. Luke was sitting opposite her, his chin resting on his hands, elbows on a table. Lizzie took a deep sniff and uncurled from the tight ball she had been in. She clung to Jessica's fabric bag, sighing.

'You know at some point, they are going to want to analyse it.' Luke crossed his arms and leant across the table.

Lizzie tossed back the loose hair from her face and said defiantly, 'yeah, I know.'

'You didn't need to start crying,' Luke said uncomfortably.

'"It is very hard for decent people to stay angry at someone who has burst into tears, which is why it is often a good idea to burst into tears if a decent person is yelling a you",' Lizzie quoted. Then she raised her hand to her mouth. 'Where did I learn that?'

'A Series of Unfortunate Events, book nine "The Carnivorous Carnival",' Luke told her. He grinned, 'you liked to read.'

'Still do,' Lizzie replied in a small voice. Then she tucked her hair behind her ears, loosened her grip on the bag and shuffled closer to the table. 'Anyway, it's giving us time to talk.'

'You got over that pretty quickly,' Luke chuckled.

Lizzie grinned back, 'quite the actress, aren't I?'

'Always were,' Luke admitted, 'I often said that you should have been the shape shifter, you could slip into different roles so easily. But no, you decided to be the auth…' he stopped himself just in time.

'I was the what?' Lizzie asked desperately.

Luke cursed himself and hastily changed the subject. 'So how are we going to find Jessica?'

Lizzie let herself be led into this new conversation even though part of her wanted to jump across the table and beat Luke into a pulp until he told her the truth. He's waiting until we're all together, she thought, and then he'll tell me. 'I don't know.' She had a sudden inspiration. 'Let's have another look at that clipping.' Almost reluctantly, Luke pulled the clipping out of him pocket. They searched it carefully for clues. After ten minutes, Luke sat back.

'I give up,' he announced.

Lizzie frowned at him. 'Maybe the other side,' she muttered and flipped it over. There was something on the other side. Lizzie tugged at Luke's sleeve and they bent over the word scrawled across the top.

'Mojo,' Luke murmured sitting back.

Lizzie glanced at him. 'Ring any bells,' she asked hopefully. Luke shook his head. Lizzie didn't try and hide her disappointment. 'Oh,' she said flatly.

The door opened. Lizzie scrapped the bag across the table, dragging with it the clipping which she hid in her pockets. The officer sighed. He thought Lizzie was still being overprotective of the bag.

'Young lady,' he said, 'I hope you've calmed down now. We need to take the bag away for analysing. Now we know…'

'Oh, that's what you'd come about,' Lizzie said, relaxing, 'you can have it. He's talked to me,' she explained, nodding at Luke. The officer raised his eyebrows; Luke shrugged.

'Oh! Well, I…' the bag flew towards him. The officer ducked and caught it in one hand. Lizzie shrugged and grinned. The officer scowled. There was something not quite right about that kid. 'Is everything alright?' he asked, stepping further into the room.

'It was,' Lizzie said meaningfully. He got the message and left. Lizzie looked back at Luke who raised his eyebrows at her.

'You defiantly overdid it there,' he said. Lizzie pulled a face and reached for the newspaper article. An idea suddenly occurred to her. She gasped dramatically and stared down at her pocket.

'Oh no!' she cried, 'I think I put the newspaper clipping in the bag accidentally.'

'You're joking right!' Luke yelled, leaping to his feet. He reached the door just as the first snort of laughter erupted from the sofa. He grudgingly turned round. Lizzie was in hysterics, waving the clipping above her head. 'Not funny,' Luke muttered as he slumped back into his chair.

'Seriously though,' Lizzie said, sitting up and taking deep breaths to stop herself laughing, 'who is Mojo?'


	5. Mojo's Challenge

Hi! Chapter five is finally up and running. However you might need to look back at Chapter four because I added a little bit to the end and this beginning won't make sense otherwise. Oh Well!

* * *

It was later that evening when Lizzie and Luke were introduced to Jessica's parents. Mr and Mrs Brown sat opposite them as they listened to Luke repeating his story. Mrs Brown let out a dry sob and Lizzie felt a pang of jealousy towards Jessica. She had a family to care for her, love her. That had been snatched from Lizzie every time she found it. It was now Mrs Brown who was clutching Jessica's bag as if willing it to give some hint into where her daughter had gone.

It was as they were leaving that Lizzie turned back and asked, 'She didn't mention anyone called Mojo? Did she?' But the Browns just looked at her as if she was mad. Lizzie sighed, 'doesn't matter.'

They ran into someone outside the police station. Isabel was sitting on the steps waiting for someone to come out and explain everything to her. As they left, she gasped and jumped to her feet.

'I knew it! I knew you'd be at the centre of it all!' she cried.

'Isabel!' Luke said in disbelief. But Isabel continued unhindered.

'As soon as you turned the corner, I thought here comes trouble and next thing I know Jessica's throwing her arms around you both and smiling like she's never smiled at me before. It's like Jessica suddenly came alive when she was with you. She'd never done that to me. There was always this bit of her that I could never turn on. And her fixation with dragons never helped…'

'Dragons?' Lizzie repeated questioningly.

'Yes, dragons!' Isabel snapped. 'Not football, makeup or gossip like anyone normal: Dragons. And then I hear that she'd disappeared and of course she had fixed a date with you! Were behind her disappearance, eh?' she glared at them. Luke fidgeted awkwardly. That glare reminded him of Jessica. Lizzie returned Isabel's gaze coldly. Then she said, 'finished yet?'

Isabel sneered, 'yeh,' she said rudely. 'So what explanation have you come up with?'

Luke looked down at Lizzie. Lizzie didn't return the glance but kept her eyes fixed on Isabel. 'Today,' she said, 'is my birthday.'

Isabel was taken aback. 'Pardon?' she asked.

Lizzie repeated, 'today is my birthday. I'd forgotten. But Jessica remembered. After all those years of being apart, and she remembered. She even got me a present, and a cake. She'd surprised me. But it was a happy surprise. One of very few I've had in the last few years. I can't remember the last time I actually celebrated my birthday. In fact, I can't remember ever celebrating it. But she took the time, to remember, to stay a true friend: a friend who doesn't forget, however long it's been; and a friend who is still ready to try and bring hope back to friends who are down; a friend who doesn't double back. Jessica couldn't tell if I had been changed – for better or worse – since she last saw me, but she still trusted in me enough to invite me to celebrate this special occasion.' Lizzie stopped.

Isabel blinked at her. Then she said in a small voice, 'you'll help campaign to try and find who took her, right?' She turned to Luke for the answer.

'Yeah,' he said, putting it arm around Lizzie, 'course we will.'

As they were leaving, Lizzie turned back to Isabel, who was now standing forlornly by the steps and asked, 'this may seem random, but did Jessica ever mention the word "Mojo" around you?'

She was taken aback by the reply. 'Yeah she did. Funny you should ask about it. She had a letter. She read the name off the letter. She didn't want to go into detail about it. Why?'

*

Next day, Luke awoke to find Lizzie sleeping with her head on the computer keyboard. The computer was still on. Luke gently shook Lizzie awake.

'You've been up all night?'

'Aha!' Lizzie yawned. 'Researching the name, Mojo… I found this in the X-men computer records.' She re-awoke the computer by moving the mouse and brought up an information box. 'Apparently, the X-men consider him a mutant who was ransacking cargo ships a few weeks back.' Lizzie turned to Luke expecting congratulations. Luke was stunned.

'You hacked into the X-men accounts!' he said amazed.

'Well, I found this in my bag last night,' Lizzie said, pointing to what looked like a large fang on a length of string sticking out of the computer. 'I thought hello, what's this? And I discovered that it unscrewed to reveal a memory stick. I thought, that's funny why should it do that? Wonder what it has on it? So I stuck it into the computer and a hacking system appeared. Very good hacking system I must say because it broke into the X-men files in less than ten minutes.'

'Max made it, so I'm not surprised,' Luke said cheerfully, 'I'm more surprised that you worked out how to use it so quickly.'

'I guess it's one of those things in my past I haven't really forgotten,' Lizzie said, 'like fighting, I never forgot how to use my powers. To be honest, I don't think the X-men still knows about it. But to be on the safe side.' She closed down the X-men records, shut the computer down and tugged the fang out of the memory stick socket. As she replaced the tip of the tooth, she paused and asked, 'from what animal did this come from?'

'Oh,' Luke said airily as he headed towards the door towards the smell of bacon, 'that came from a dragon. Why?'

'No reason,' Lizzie muttered, shoving the fang back into her bag.

*

'Found anything yet Hank?' Wolverine asked. He crossed the room to stand alongside Bobby who was watching Beast intently.

'Possibly,' Beast replied, 'it appears we had a hacker last night. We haven't caught them but we know what they were looking at. Whoever they are were searching through our mutant records and it seems they have found their mutant: Mojo,' he watched for a reaction on Wolverine's face. There was none. Taking this as a good thing Beast continued, 'we think that they might have been looking up on clues about a disappearance. I did a bit of checking and it does show that Mojo seems to have a new mutant.'

'A pretty powerful one too,' Bobby added, unhelpfully.

'Mojo again, huh?' Wolverine growled, pacing the floor.

Beast nodded solemnly. 'However, it seems this time; he might not be working alone. He may have got her, not for his own game, but she's level… she's a level… five.' He glanced sideways at Bobby.

'You think he might sell her on to someone? Sinister?'

'That's exactly what I believe.'

'Then let's get there and stop him.' Wolverine stopped pacing, fists clenched.

Beast swung round to face Wolverine. 'Logan, do you think we should? Remember, the people he has… they managed to beat you last time.'

'Yeh, but that was when there was about six on one,' Wolverine snarled. He twisted round. 'I'm assembling the team. Meet us in the hanger in ten minutes.' He left.

Beast sighed and turned back to the screen. 'Do you think I should have told him?'

'Knowing Logan, he would have made us go anyway,' Bobby sighed, deciding to follow Wolverine and get kitted out, 'besides we're not going to fight her. Just because the mutant taken was beyond level five doesn't make much difference to Logan, does it?'

*

'Here?' Lizzie stared at the dark warehouse in front of them. It reminded her of the Thieves' Den. She shivered at the thought. Luke, mistaking the shiver, put his arm round her to keep her warm. Lizzie pushed it roughly off. 'Here?' she repeated.

'Yeah,' Luke said, sniffing the air, 'I can sort of… smell her.'

Lizzie looked at him incredulously. 'Right…' she muttered. In the distance she heard something. She twisted round. 'Does that sound like a jet to you?'

'It's nothing Lizzie,' Luke said absentmindedly.

'Luke, it's coming closer.'

Luke looked round and followed Lizzie's gaze. 'Move,' he cried and pushed Lizzie sideways. The two of them fell into an ally; Luke landed on top of Lizzie. Overhead the drone of the plane became a roar as it flew above their heads. It passed by, unaware of the two mutants below it.

Once it had gone, Lizzie realized the position they were in. She snorted in disgust. 'Luke, get off me now!' she demanded appalled at the situation he had landed them in. Luke quickly obeyed. They moved to the end of the ally and peered round. They watched a group of mutants leave the plane. One guy, Lizzie assumed he was the leader, gathered them round.

'Who do you think they are?' Luke muttered.

'X-men,' Lizzie replied to his astonishment.

'How do you know?'

'I, err… recognise someone,' Lizzie replied. Her eyes were fixed on a figure near the outside of the circle. 'He hasn't changed much…' she whispered to herself.

'Who hasn't?' Luke immediately asked who had overheard the undertone.

'No-one,' Lizzie hissed, silently cursing Luke's sharp hearing. But her eyes were kept on Kurt as he fidgeted and glanced around as if he could feel her gaze. She sniffed, sighed and shifted out of sight. The X-men decided on something and moved towards the building. They stayed in the shadow of the ally and waited. When they were out of sight, Lizzie turned to Luke.

'Shall we get into a position where we can see better,' she said. Luke grinned, winked and concentrated. White feathered wings sprouted from his back. Lizzie raised an eyebrow.

'You're very varied aren't you?' Luke looked puzzled. 'I mean you stick to the usual, white feathered wings, fingered claws and monkey tails. Why can't you change your style; try knuckle claws like Wolverine, bat wings or scorpion tails?' Luke stared at her. 'What? At least my style changes!'

'You've never told me that before!' he shook his head, twisted round and walked away. Lizzie was going to call after him when he turned back round, took a run up and launched himself at her. She squealed as he caught her under the arms flipped her over and soared over the wall. She cried out as he dived towards the roof, did 360 degrees flip and gently placed Lizzie on the roof of the warehouse. She wriggled and lightly shoved Luke on the shoulder.

'Warn me next time you're going to that,' she giggled.

Luke grinned, 'thought you'd like that.' He chuckled softly and crept across the roof to glass windows which stared down at the level below. He whistled, 'Lizzie, come and look at this.' Lizzie hurried across.

They were staring down into a giant arena. On one side, lined up against the back wall, were the X-men. They were separated by transparent barriers; Lizzie could see Kurt in a sealed compartment second from the middle. Luke wondered aloud why the X-men were allowing themselves to be caught up like this. Then they saw the opponent. Behind a group of mutants, including one Lizzie named as "Spiral", with an odd headset pulling at her flesh, was Jessica. Surrounding her and blocking her off fro the rest of the room were a set of lasers, thin red beams powerful enough to cut through metal. She was ridged with what seemed to be pain and on a balcony above they could see a fat blob like mutant with spider-like metal legs talking to the X-men. He had thin arms with long fingers and nails similar to sabres. He was surrounded by three different looking machines. Wires ran up the walls to three different places: the X-men on one side of the room; Jessica and the arena between them. Several of the X-men were shaking their heads at what Mojo seemed to be saying.

'Shall we here what he's saying?' Lizzie whispered. Without waiting for Luke's reply, she knelt beside one of the metal bars running along the roof, holding the glass sheets in place. Opening her bag, she pulled out a wooden box. She'd always had the box and, although she'd not added much to it, she found its contents very useful. From within the box, she pulled out a bottle. She frowned at the low level of the mixture and muttered a few well chosen words. The mixture began to double in substance until it was nearly full. Then Lizzie pulled out the stopper and dropped a few drops on the metal bar. There was a pause as the liquid burnt through the metal then, when they leant closer, they could listen to the conversation happening below their feet.

'…that is the proposition I am making,' Mojo was saying, 'simply complete all ten rounds and I'll let you and the girl go. But each round will be harder, the opponents tougher. If you think you can survive that long, agree and we can begin.' He sat back, put his long nails together and waited.

There was a brief pause.

'What are the rules?' growled the man in the middle. He was dressed in a tight yellow and dark blue suit and claws were sprouting out from his hands which were clenched into fists.

Mojo seemed delighted. 'As I said, each round gets tougher. If you win one round you have a choice: you can go back and let someone else fight or you can stay on and face the next round. If you loose, someone takes your place but you go into the drop,' as he spoke, Mojo pressed a green button on the metal mechanism beside him. The entire side of the arena nearest the X-men dropped open. A dark pit was shown beneath the ground for the briefest of seconds then the entire floor swung back into place.

There was a pause. Mojo leant back contented. 'Of course if you want to pull out first time you can, but if you go back in you must continue until you loose. So, do you agree?'

The X-men were whispering. They seemed to be passing ideas to the rougher man in the middle. Then after a long pause…

'Yes,' Wolverine agreed roughly. Mojo's smile grew even wider.

'Good, then let the games begin.' He spun around a slammed his fist onto a button. A ruff minion with a gun stepped forwards from the opposite side.

'Shadowcat, you first.' A girl on the far left with bobbles in her neat brown hair stepped forward and through the barrier.

'A little girl who can walk through walls,' muttered Luke.

'What?' Lizzie asked, turning to him.

Luke flushed, 'it's nothing! Just something I heard when I was… around…' he broke off to watch the fight. Lizzie frowned slightly at him then turned back. Shadowcat won her fight and her opponent lay on the ground trying to get back up. Mojo's smile faded and he pressed a few buttons. The ruffian were grabbed by a metal claw and lifted out of the arena and back to his side.

Shadowcat chose to stay on. She won her second, and then her third fight and then Mojo announced that they were moving up to round four.

All three minions that Shadowcat had just beaten walked back on. Shadowcat complained, 'That's not fair! It's three against one!' Mojo ignored her protests and, addressing Wolverine, asked whether she was staying on. Shadowcat answered before he had a chance to call her back. 'I'm staying on!'

'Very well,' Mojo smiled and the three opponents prepared their guns. Shadowcat blanched but readied herself. She underestimated how difficult it was to beat all three. A few minutes later she hit the ground and did not get back up. The three minions dragged her over to the other side and Mojo pressed the green button. Shadowcat disappeared into the pit and the hole closed up. Kurt turned to Wolverine.

'Logan, let me have a go. I've beaten this lot before, I can do it again.'

'No,' growled Wolverine, 'lets save you for someone harder; Iceman, you try.' A lad, on the far right this time, nodded. His body and clothes was covered by a layer of ice. He stood to his full height and, after waiting for the compartment door to slide open, strode onto the field.

If Wolverine was expecting Iceman to win, he was sadly disappointed. Iceman went down fifteen minutes later after receiving a blast in the back which sent him spinning into his own wall of ice.

Wolverine growled in frustration as Iceman tumbled down into the pit. From below, Lizzie was sure she heard Shadowcat calling his name as he tumbled down. She frowned and stared at the gap she had made in the beam. It was still growing.

Wolverine sent someone called Frost on next. Lizzie expected Frost, a tall platinum blonde haired woman dressed in snow white, to have abilities like Iceman's. But Frost was a telepath.

A telepathic shockwave ripped across the stadium. It hit the thugs like a tonne of bricks and knocked them out cold. Their bodies vanished through strange blue portals as a woman with six arms (four of which were mechanical) leapt into the arena oppose Frost. Again, Lizzie noticed Kurt talking with Wolverine; this time Wolverine let him on.

Spiral smiled as Kurt was called on. Frost turned on her heel and stalked back to her container. She thought, if given the chance, that she could easily win over Spiral. Wolverine, however, wasn't going to give her that chance. He nodded at Kurt, who inclined his head in return and vanished. He re-materialised behind Spiral. Spiral twisted round but could not avoid Kurt as he lashed out with his foot. It caught her square in the chest and sent her flying backwards. Lizzie felt a thrill of excitement – where from she could not tell – as she watched Kurt fight. She gasped and squealed as Spiral fought back and slowly she lost all four mechanical arms. Eventually, Spiral gave in. She knelt, panting on the floor; Kurt stood above her, his tail swishing gently. Unhappily, Mojo called Spiral back. He fixed Wolverine with a piercing stare, which Wolverine held, and asked who was up next. Wolverine volunteered himself. Kurt disappeared and reappeared in his containment cell. Lizzie permitted herself a small smile. Luke mistook the smile.

'I don't know what you're smiling at. At this rate they're going to loose.'

'Don't be silly. There are five of them left and five rounds left.'

'Six including this one and anyway two of them have already fought. If they go out again, they'll have to complete every round after that until they loose!'

Lizzie cast a sideways glance at Luke. 'There are still us,' she replied.

The next round consisted of a series of mechanical machines: first one then two then three. All the robots were cut down by Wolverine before they could become too much of a threat. But soon he found he was facing eight, nine even ten androids at once. This was when the remaining woman called out to Wolverine. She was dark skinned but her hair was white, whiter than Frost's. She spoke with an African accent and her voice sounded concerned.

'Logan! There's becoming too many of them, let me go on.'

'It's o.k. Storm! I've got this.'

'Logan, it's getting out of hand.' Wolverine glared at her, spat on the ground and conceded defeat. He let the woman take his place.

She walked in slowly. The machines looked at her and reached for her. She raised her hands to the sky. The clouds gathered overhead and thunder boomed. A bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and struck the roof. It crashed through and split into ten. Each bolt hit an android, short circuiting them and causing them to explode. Back on the roof, Lizzie and Luke were still recovering from the shock of the lightning when they heard Mojo laugh.

'Impressive, very impressive. You have completed the five easy levels. Now, let's see how much you looked into this little girl,' Mojo mused and scuttled over to the machine nearest Jessica. He started fiddling with some of the dials and switches. Jessica cried out in pain.

'Excuse me.' They turned to see two men standing behind them dressed in the X-men uniform. One was tall with dark hair and a metal leg. The other was squat and covering in blur hair. He reminded Lizzie of Kurt but shorter, wider and with a lot more muscle. Plus, she thought, he probably cannot teleport. 'What are you doing here?' asked the shorter one.

Lizzie and Luke looked at one another. 'How did you know we were here?' Luke asked after a while. Lizzie noticed something out of the corner of her eye and moved so she could see it better. She would leave the pleasantries to Luke.

'In Storm's lightning strike, we saw your silhouettes,' the tall one explained. He frowned, 'what you doing here?'

'You first, why aren't you down there with them?' Luke demanded, pointing down into the warehouse. The tall one shrugged.

'I'm not a fighter and Beast offered to stay with me and keep watch for anyone like you or the MRD. Every so often we'd here bangs or shouts from inside then we saw your silhouettes. So Beast swung us both up here. What are you doing here?'

'Luke…' Lizzie whispered, tugging at his sleeve.

'Not now-'he stared but Lizzie cut across him.

'Yes, now, Luke he's using her! She's the next five levels look!' Luke turned puzzled and the two X-men came to join them. Far below them, Jessica had begun to produce many tiny balls of energy. They were an orangey red and had started swirling around her in like a whirlwind. Everyone stared in owe as Jessica pushed the energy forward with a great gasp. The energy burst forth in a swirling mass and recollected beyond the lasers. The balls began to join, creating one shape and then with a blast of orange light they formed… a dragon.

It was magnificent. It was magenta which faded into a scarlet tail. Its wings were large and the scales on its back and front looked tough and no-one doubted that they would protect the dragon from most attacks. Its claws were long and sharp, just like its fangs and the horns on its scaly head, and it surveyed the room through yellow eyes. It had spikes jutting out along its back and Lizzie could see a spike blunter than the others, which had been worn down by someone who had sat there constantly.

Everybody stared.

Then one of the remaining X-men, the only one who had not fought, said, 'that can't be real!'

Beast, who stood beside Lizzie, sighed. 'Unfortunately it is. That's why our computer classified her as a mutant beyond level five.'

Lizzie forced her gaze away from the magnificent beast before her to stare at the hairy man. 'It classified her as beyond level five,' she said in disbelief. The X-man nodded sadly. The other one shook his head and sighed, 'they have no hope of beating that!'

'Don't give up Forge,' Beast tried to comfort his companion.

'Yeah,' Lizzie said, leaning back to grin at Forge, 'after all, to beat things like this is why we're here.' She turned to stare back down at the arena below as Cyclopes, the last X-man left to fight, stepped into the arena. Beast faced them again.

'So you're here because…' he left the sentence unfinished.

'Jessica's our friend,' Luke explained, 'we wanted to save her. We didn't know you'd be here. Though, Lizzie probably gave it away.'

'You were the ones who hacked into our computer files-' Forge started.

'I didn't mean to,' Lizzie snapped, not removing her attention from the fight below, 'I just found something that happened to hack into your accounts…'

Forge made a mistrustful noise. Luke stepped forward.

'It's true she probably didn't know what the system did. Err… can I just explain something?' he gestured to them to move away from Lizzie who was watching the fight with rapped attention. He lent towards them. 'The thing is… Lizzie's lost her memory. She can't remember much; when she does it just comes out. It's very sudden and she surprises everyone including herself. Many don't believe her because when they ask her why she said what she said, she cannot explain it. She doesn't understand it. And so, when she found the memory stick' – he decided that it would be best not to tell them that the memory stick was contained in a dragon's fang – 'she didn't know what was on it until the system had uploaded. Anyway, she only wanted to find out who Mojo was. The only places they would be would either be on your files or the MRD's. She took a gamble, chose yours and found what she was looking for… what is it, Lizzie?' Luke asked, suddenly distracted by Lizzie who was tugging at his sleeve again.

'She's won,' Lizzie said simply, 'Cyclopes took a blow to the head and is now down. There's no-one left who hasn't been before.' The three men stared at her then rushed to peer down to the arena below. Cyclopes was no longer there. The remaining X-men were all talking franticly trying to work out who could have a chance of beating the dragon. Mojo was leaning back again, a smile stretched across his ugly face.

'They have no chance,' Luke muttered.

Lizzie grinned mischievously at him. 'We do,' she said. She turned to the other X-men. 'You should get back to your jet. The MRD probably saw the lightning and if they're not as thick as I think they are they should have worked out that the lightning was not caused naturally. They might be on their way!' The X-men looked at one another.

'Are you sure?' Beast asked cautiously. Lizzie nodded and, not waiting for a reply, started to climb the roof towards the hole made by Storm. Luke shrugged and followed her. Beast and Forge just looked at one another; then Beast gestured in the direction of the jet and they headed back towards the edge. These kids seemed to know what they were doing.

Luke stopped Lizzie as she prepared to jump. 'Take this,' he said, thrusting a small ball shaped devise into her hands, 'Max made this too. Set a time for it, place it on any mechanism and it will shut it down in after that amount of time. Unfortunately the lowest amount of time is ten seconds but it might be useful.' Lizzie pocketed the ball and leaned in to here what the X-men were discussing. She was pleasantly surprised by how far their voices carried.

'Let me… I could use another lightning strike…'

'Storm, they'll be expecting something like that. I'll do it. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to do some damage…'

'Don't be ridiculous. You saw how easily that dragon managed to swat aside Cyclopes' attacks. I should try…'

'Frost, I'm leading this team…'

'Doing a poor job of it…'

'There's no point arguing we're wasting time. We've got to decide who'll try and beat this thing…' Lizzie took that line as her cue to enter.

'Can I have a go?' she called into the room and somersaulted in. Telepathically she ordered Luke to come when best suited, sent a jet of air shooting down from her hands to steady herself then landed with her back to the X-men. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder and was pleased by their stunned faces. She tossed her hair back from her face and studied the dragon. It was a lot bigger now she was up close. Wolverine was the first to recover.

He bristled angrily. 'Who are you?' he demanded.

Lizzie flashed smile over her shoulder. 'Ask around.' Lizzie focused her attention back on the dragon. Wolverine went to yell at her again when a sharp rap on the barrier to his right made him look round. Frost stepped back to let Kurt talk.

'Logan, leave her. She knows what she's doing.' Wolverine looked stunned; Lizzie shot another smile at Kurt. Kurt smiled back.

Mojo was still glaring at Lizzie. 'Why are you here?'

Lizzie raised her eyebrows at him. 'Huh, let's think. You did kidnap my best friend. Have a guess.' She flicked her hair over her shoulder again and started to stroll towards the dragon. It roared and sent a blast of fire towards her. Lizzie raised her hand, almost lazily, and stopped the fire before it could get near her, returning with her own discharge of water. It hit the dragon in the mouth. The dragon roared again and reached for her. She waited until it was almost three feet from her, then she ducked and rolled under its outstretched neck. She flipped back onto her feet, caught hold onto a loose scale (how she knew it was there she could not explain) and clambered up the dragon's back. It twisted round to see if it could seize her. Lizzie made sure that it could neither see her nor catch her. She reached its head, gave a teasing wave to Mojo – which seemed to infuriate him even more – and leant in to whisper in the dragon's ear, 'Calm Tinamont, calm.'

The dragon stopped snapping. It tried jerking its head violently, trying to flip her off it; but Lizzie clung desperately onto one of its horns.

She stared up at the hole in the roof and whistled. Luke decided that this was his signal and – releasing his wings – dived through the gap and flew towards her. Mojo glowered.

'You're breaking the rules! Only one is allowed…'

Lizzie snorted and cut across him, 'firstly, if only one is allowed on each side, you've broken the rules too. Secondly, when did either of us agree to your rules?' She turned back to Luke who had landed beside her. 'Could you possibly get rid of the chance that Jess might summon something else?' Luke nodded and took off again. Mojo glared at her and turned to fiddle with one of the machines. Lizzie frowned at him.

'What are you…?' her question was answered when Jessica stared to glow again. The energy balls swirled round her again and this time, once they had reformed, a giant knight dressed in black spiky armour with a deep blood-red cloak. A broad sword in a black sheath hung from his belt and under its pointed helmet, narrow red eyes glared at them. It had no face apart from its eyes; it turned to Lizzie. Lizzie sniffed and rearranged her grip on Tinamont's horns. She dug her knee into the dragon's head and forced it to turn its head towards this new monster. She muttered something and released her grip on the dragon's horns to stand straight. She carried on muttering as she raised a finger to point at the knight. There was a rumbling from the dragon and it opened its mouth and belched a stream of flames at it. Lizzie focused and began to shape the flames. Dragons flew from the dragon's fire; they swooped around the knight, snapping and blasting it. It swung at them, trying to batter them away so that it could get near Lizzie. The flames burnt at its armour, some of them managed to wriggle under its breastplate and scorched the flesh beneath. The beast writhed in pain. Feeling that it was distracted enough, Lizzie looked up to see how Luke was doing.

Luke had already managed to put two machines out of action. The X-men's doors were open and now they were stepping hesitantly into the arena. Three of them were. Wolverine however charged across the ground to the knight and began to climb his armour. Lizzie looked round as she heard Mojo laugh.

Spiral stood against the wall behind Jessica. She held her gun and was aiming it at Jessica's back through the tangle of lasers. Luke had paused midflight and was chewing his lip in concern. Lizzie scowled in Spiral's direction.

'I would take her on… but I don't really want to land amongst those beams,' said someone. Lizzie whipped round and almost knocked Kurt from his position as he balanced on Tinamont's horn. Lizzie smiled automatically, but then her smile faltered as she thought. An idea struck her and she called to Luke.

'I can't get near,' he muttered as he landed on Tinamont's snout, 'she might… you know…' he broke off, nodding at Spiral. Lizzie waved his protests away.

'Never mind that, can you turn the lasers off?' Luke looked at her as if she was mad.

'Lizzie! That's the whole point!'

'I know! Don't shout! Turn them off though and then someone can distract Spiral whilst we get Jessica out of the way.' Lizzie turned and looked purposefully at Kurt. Kurt nodded. Luke sighed and, although he clearly didn't like the plan, he swooped into the air, set the timer and thrown it at the remaining machine. Spiral glowered and began charging the firearm when she hit by a psychic blast and struggled to remain upright. From the top of the dragon's head, Lizzie gave Frost thumbs up. She grinned at Kurt, caught his outstretched arm and the pair vanished. They reappeared above Spiral's head. Lizzie kept them in the air and Kurt let go of her. Without the lasers, he managed to land beside Spiral and kept her occupied whilst Lizzie hurried to help Jessica.

Jessica was struggling under the pressure of keeping the two mythical beast's existence. Lizzie pulled out the funny ball Luke had given her, attached it to the back of Jessica's bizarre headset and set the timer for ten seconds.

There was a sudden blast from behind her. Lizzie turned to see Kurt hit the floor. Spiral pointed her gun at him looking triumphant. Lizzie was forcefully reminded of that day in the thieves' den. Those machine guns seemed so flimsy compared to the thick, strong cannon-like gun that Spiral had. It still melted, Lizzie told herself.

She splayed her palms and sent the same ripples of heat towards Spiral. The temperature rose, the air crackled and Spiral's sweat evaporated just as quickly as it came. Lizzie sensed the end of the gun beginning to melt. But Spiral had nearly fully charged; Lizzie didn't have time to melt the entire thing. So Lizzie brought her left hand round and slowly closed it. She barely noticed that the timer went off behind her, Jessica gasped and collapsed and Mojo screamed in fury. The dragon and the knight were gone and Wolverine was suddenly left climbing nothing. Lizzie barely registered Luke as he landed beside her to check Jessica. All Lizzie concentrated on was closing up the gun. By Kurt's surprised face, she had succeeded. This was confirmed as Spiral pulled the trigger and the gun, unable to fire, backfired and hit her instead. Spiral's face was filled with shock as she flew the wrong way and hit the wall, collapsing in a heap unconscious.

Lizzie swayed on the spot. Luke grabbed her and helped her kneel next to Jessica as Lizzie gasped for air. Kurt was suddenly next her looking concerned.

'Is she alright?' he asked. Lizzie decided he was talking about Jessica. She dumped her bag on Jessica's legs and opened it. From inside she drew her wooden box which had an infamous reputation of being able to produce a liquid or potion which would do anything possible when necessary. Lizzie pulled out a silver, watery fluid in a glass bottle. She took a swig from this herself and felt her strength come back to her. Then she passed the bottle to Luke who pulled Jessica into half a sitting position and placed it to Jessica's lips and tipped it back. After a few gulps of the solution, Jessica blinked and moaned.

'She'll be fine,' Lizzie informed Kurt. Kurt smiled and went to say something when suddenly the room shook. Cyclops had just blasted his way through the floor and was accompanied by Iceman and a semiconscious Shadowcat. 'Ah!' Lizzie muttered and tugged at the back of Luke's shirt, 'here's our exit cue.' She turned to Kurt, 'sorry, we've got no time to catch up. We might see each other later. Hopefully… look after her won't you?' Kurt nodded. Lizzie smiled. 'Thanks. Take her home and explain to her parents…' she glanced up at the balcony above where Wolverine was now battering down minions in order to get at Mojo. As Kurt glanced up to see what Lizzie had been looking at, Lizzie twisted round and catch hold as Luke before he flew himself into the air and flew out of the gap in the roof.

Lizzie looked back over her shoulder and, braving the fear of falling, she let go of Luke's shoulders with one hand to wave goodbye to her friend who was shrinking below her.


	6. Time Cheat

He was walking along the same corridor his best friend had once run along, except he was walking in the opposite direction. He reached the last corner, crept up to the edge and peered round. The guard was not there. Evidently they were inside the cell. The Boss had called it "the guest's quarters". He wasn't fooled. He'd been inside. It was a small room, dirty and damp. But if he complained, he'd have to admit he'd been inside.

The door at the end of the passage opened. A scruffy, beefy man stepped out. His partner, a skinny girl with lanky, knotted brown hair and small, dark eyes, was giggling maliciously. He waited until they were clear of the doorway and were about to shut it when he acted.

Time froze.

He strolled up the walkway, slid underneath the girl's outstretched arm as she leant against the wall – he'd once brushed against her as she did that and consequently unfrozen her; he'd had such a beating and they had sent her to Screecher again – and slipped through the door.

Time started again. He flattened himself against the wall as the burly man shut the door on him. He didn't mind; he could always pick the lock. Many times he had wondered why he didn't just use his abilities to help them escape. He knew though. The Boss would simply hunt them down again. Once he chose a target, he wouldn't rest until he caught them. He'd rounded up nearly everyone from his old crew (with the new ones added). But there was one he would not bring back and one person he would never wish to hunt.

He smiled when he thought about it. Lizzie. The damage she had caused all those years ago, he laughed at. What did they expect? He was surprised she hadn't reacted sooner. Then again… it was his situation, wasn't it? Only it had happened eight years ago. She'd found someone to lay affections on. And when they tried to hurt them, she'd reacted.

Finally feeling it was safe, he stood up. The first thing that caught his eye, as it always did, was his reflection. A pale, skinny boy: whose sandy hair curtained his thin face and wore square rimmed glasses which were constantly being mended by Irma. Irma was the nicest out of the mutants The Boss had employed. The manipulator of plastic, she was known as. She defiantly had a soft spot for him.

Maybe she's been in my position before, he thought. That may explain it. He looked round the little room for the person he wanted to see. There came a noise from the bathroom and a young girl stepped out. Her blonde hair fell down to her shoulders in loose ringlets and her grey eyes lit up as he moved into the light.

'Max!' she exclaimed in a whisper and threw her arms round his neck. Despite himself, Max smiled.

*

She was shopping when it happened. Lizzie had just reached the check out when she felt a tickling feeling like she had just had a little dribble of cold water run down her back. She shivered and carried on trying to find her money. Then she noticed.

Everything had frozen. There was no noise, nothing. The people pulling shopping from the shelves, the cars in the street, the trees blowing in the wind: everything. Nothing was moving.

Then it was over as quickly as it had begun. The cars carried on moving. The trees swayed. The noise was back: the clamour of kids for sweets or crisps, the gossiping of mothers or teenage school girls, the chink of the till. The checkout lad was asking for the money. No-one had noticed anything.

Lizzie paid and left. She had a funny suspicion about what that was all about. But she needed someone to confirm it. She rounded the corner, saw a load of MRD trucks standing beside the café she was aiming for and hurriedly stepped back. Putting down her shopping, she readjusted the earrings, to make sure they were working, tried and failed to conjure a simple flame (which she had hoped for) then stepped round the corner.

A blond curly haired boy and a girl, whose golden highlights glinted in the sun, were arguing with an MRD officer. As Lizzie drew close she picked up the gist of the argument.

'We're not! It's… difficult to explain…' Jessica was saying.

'One moment we were being asked by the waitress what we wanted, the next everything had stopped,' Luke was trying to explain.

The MRD official was shouting about how you "mutants", as he called them, could have harmed everyone in the café. Half the rest of folks sitting in the café were nodding with the official; the others were looking at it other hesitantly.

'Hi, guys. What's up?' Lizzie asked. An MRD officer swung his gun round to face her. She flinched but he lowered it with an apology. Lizzie eyed him suspiciously then leapt over the barrier and walked towards Luke and Jessica. 'What's wrong?' she asked.

'He's accusing us,' Jessica said angrily, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at the official. Lizzie looked disbelievingly between Jessica, Luke and the officer.

'You two… don't make me laugh!'

'It's true!' a waitress who had been hiding in the shadow of the doorway stepped forward, 'I was serving them when all of a sudden they moved. Either they teleported or they have super speed like that fellow from the Brotherhood…'

'These are the most human people you can get,' Lizzie interrupted, 'besides if they are mutants, why hasn't the MRD dragged them away already?'

All eyes were upon the official. He shifted uncomfortably and said, 'they don't register as mutant but they don't register as human…'

'Do I register as human?' Lizzie turned back to the officer who had scanned her. He shrugged. 'O.k. I register the same. Now it's very unlikely that you will discover three mutants with exactly the same ability in exactly the same place isn't it. How many mutants have you met who have exactly the same ability?' There was silence so she continued, 'No mutant has exactly the same ability as another. So to find three people who don't register as mutant but don't register as human… say we are mutants – I know I'm not, but I'm just saying – pretend we are and our ability is that we register as human/mutant when scanned… that's not a great power is it. Not dangerous. We're not doing anything. Besides, Jessica lives here. She's had to put up with being scanned at school, shops and not once before has she been accused… not until now. How do you know that it is her? How do you know it isn't something on us, or something we ate? Maybe she's eaten a mutant carrot,' this got a few laughs from the crowd, 'you cannot take her away for that can you? They came here to eat. Maybe somewhere else… they were infected…' she decided to stop there. The official looked very confused so decided to let them off. Lizzie, Luke and Jessica walked away from a half relieved, half angry yet very perplexed café.

'That is probably your most confusing however defiantly your best-timed speech I've been forced to listen to,' Luke told Lizzie. Lizzie rolled her eyes and changed the subject.

'You noticed it though, everything stopped. The trees, people, it was silent…'

'Of course it was silent,' Jessica said, 'time stopped.'

'Yeah,' Luke muttered unhappily, 'and we know that person probably behind it.' The girls nodded.

'Max,' they all said in unison.

*

'Focus… please… please just try one more time,' she sniffed and he drew her close.

'Sorry Maloney,' he whispered. 'It's hard.'

Maloney pushed away from him and looked up at him. Her grey eyes searched for the old comfort in his icy blue. But they had grown cold. He'd been forced to change, she didn't like it.

'Once more,' she whispered. Max sighed and focused. His eyes glazed and everything stopped. Everything that is, except the clock.

*

Everything had stopped again. Lizzie had felt the strange chilly sensation run down her back. At least this time she could understand it this time. She looked around her at all the people standing still and felt she could have laughed. She could do so much now and no-one will know. Luke and Jessica however looked bored. Jessica was leaning against the wall and Luke was kicking the can by his feet in boredom. Lizzie looked at them incredulously. Luke snorted; Jessica sighed and rolled her eyes. Then she stood bolt upright, staring at her watch as everything began to move again.

'Are you alright?' Luke asked.

'Everything stopped,' Jessica said, 'everything except time stopped.'

'What?' Luke and Lizzie said in disbelief.

Jessica looked at them. 'Think about this,' she murmured, 'Max doesn't even know that we might be here. I think he's signalling to someone else, other than us.'

'What do you mean "he doesn't even know that we…"?' Lizzie started but Luke cut across her.

'It's to do with when you lost your memory. There was an explosion and possibly Max thinks we're dead. You think he's signalling the X-men?' he asked Jessica.

Jessica nodded, 'Defiantly.'

Lizzie didn't comment. She was thinking about the only thing she can remember about her past before. She could never remember anything before now, but when Luke said it she had remember a flash of white light. Then nothing.

*

'Three minutes, thirty two seconds,' Beast said as Shadowcat landed beside him, 'funny,' he remarked out loud, 'I could have sworn when you jumped it was less than two and a half…'

'So you're saying that somehow some time has been added onto mine,' Shadowcat sounded annoyed. 'Pity, I would have beaten my record otherwise.'

'Time hasn't been added on,' someone said and Cyclopes walked into the room. 'Logan's rounding up the team. He's got the same idea as Frost. Someone is managing to stop everyone on the planet. We're going to track them down. Get ready,' he left. Shadowcat shrugged and ran through the closed door. Beast sighed and put the training stuff away, thinking about the last rescue mission and the two individuals who had appeared when needed and helped the X-men. Would they be there again?

*

Jessica had not liked the idea of letting Luke and Lizzie go in search of Max alone. She had insisted on accompanying them; until Lizzie pointed out that it was now a well known fact amongst the MRD and the police that it was mutants who kidnapped her. If they discovered she was a mutant, it would put her in danger and answer a lot of unanswered questions which were keeping her out of MRD confinement. With that in mind, Jessica had reluctantly agreed that she stayed behind. However, she said that she was the one who worked out where Max was.

Lizzie soon discovered that Jessica too had a dragon's tooth. No-one believed it was dragon, she was happy about that though. Jessica quickly discovered the co-ordinates of the centre point of the "attacks" as they were labelled on the X-men's computer documents. It was also recorded that these "attacks" had been registered in certain areas across the country and all the targets had been banks.

'However these attacks only started less than three months ago. But it looks like he's landed amongst a bunch of thieves,' Jessica said sadly, shutting down her computer. It was that that made Lizzie realise. The co-ordinates Jessica had given them; when she put them to a map, it gave her the location. But she didn't need to know it. She'd already guessed.

She's known ever since The Boss had been broken out of prison that sometime she would have to go against the Thieves again. She knew that that time was now

*

'The coast looks clear, apart from a few security cameras,' Luke muttered into the phone, 'are you sure that this is the right warehouse? It looks like any other one.'

'Is Lizzie looking at it?' Jessica's voice spoke softly into his ear. Luke looked over his shoulder. Lizzie was standing with her back to the warehouse, her arms wrapped tightly round her as if she was cold. Luke knew Lizzie well enough to know that this meant she wasn't cold but scared. If something about that warehouse scared Lizzie then the memories she had of it weren't good.

'No,' Luke said simply. There was a pause the other side to the phone. Luke sighed. 'I'd better go. I'll phone you once Max is with us.' Still silence. 'Jess?'

'Yeah, fine,' Jessica said. She sounded like she had a cold. 'Isabel's coming round. I'll see you later.' She hung up. Luke groaned. He hated falling out with Jessica. He looked back at Lizzie and went to stand beside her. After a few minutes of silence, he said, 'you're facing the wrong way you know.'

Lizzie sniffed and raised her attention to the sky. Luke could see she was trying not to cry. Lizzie sniffed again and suddenly burst out, 'I'm sorry. Just… every time I look at it, I hear the things I heard then and the visions come back to me. My most regular nightmare…' she wiped her eyes with her hands, turned and buried her face in Luke's t-shirt. Luke looked surprised but stroked her hair gently. Lizzie sniffled and turned her face away from the storehouse. A familiar drone filled her ears. She glanced up to see a black shadow gliding smoothly towards them. They vanished from sight as the jet flew low over their heads. They ducked as the plane swooped in a gently arc and curled back round.

'They'll land the other side of this building. There's a clearing there. Let's move.' Lizzie tugged at Luke's top but didn't let go until they had landed in the shadowy ally. Luke was still cursing.

'Why did they dive so low? Couldn't they see us?' he asked as they watched the plane descend into the clearing at the end.

'No, we were invisible,' Lizzie said plainly. Luke stopped swearing to looked amazed at Lizzie. Lizzie ignored him; she was rummaging in her bag again.

'Got it,' she exclaimed. She pulled out a bottle full of a yellow thick liquid. After warning Luke to hold his breath, Lizzie dropped the bottle. It smashed on the ground releasing a cloud of yellow gas which slowly turned clear. Lizzie closed her eyes, exhaled and pushed a small circle of clean air around them. After her signal, Luke breathed out and rubbed his watering eyes. He sniffed the air and recoiled.

'That stinks! You'll ruin people's sense of smell with that!'

'Not everyone's, just Wolverine's,' Lizzie remarked. She turned to see Luke glowering at her sceptically, 'What? There's something in me that doesn't want the X-men to know we're here.'

Luke sighed, 'so what are we doing standing in their way? Invisible or visible: they'll walk into us.'

Lizzie looked at him in disbelief. 'Do you grow wings or not?'

'Oh…' Luke said and from his back grew a pair of eagle feathered wings. He grabbed Lizzie round the waist and hoisted her into the air. The beating of his wings was almost silent. Four feet above the ally floor, they disappeared. The X-men began to creep down the ally. Kurt was the most reluctant, hanging back at the end of the line. Lizzie knew he must be remembering the same things she was.

Wolverine, who was at the front of the queue, was the first to reach the foul smelling gas. He did a double take the first time he breathed in, causing Frost to stop short and the others to crash into one another. Wolverine choked and hurried out of the cloud of rank gas. The others hurried after him, coughing. Beast was affected just as bad as Wolverine and as soon as he left the gas cloud, he dropped to the ground, spluttering. When they all had regained their breath, Wolverine stood and felt his nose.

'My smell…' he growled. No-one really heard. They were too busy inhaling gasps of air. Wolverine left it and they carried on to the end. Luke descended slowly. As they hit the ground, Lizzie waved a hand and the smell vanished. They waited until the X-men had left the ally before reappearing.

'See, I do vary!' Luke muttered. Lizzie ignored him. 'What next?' Luke asked. Lizzie paused.

'They'll probably go in by the side doors or the front doors. Probably the side because that's the way Kurt… Nightcrawler entered last time.' She ignored Luke's look of amazement and continued. 'I know a quicker way though.' They crept to the end and peered round. The security camera was down and the X-men were gathered round the side doors. There was a clang and Shadowcat opened them from the inside. The X-men filed in and left the doors open. Ignoring the doors, Lizzie walked past and carried on round the other side of the building. Luke flew overhead and took out the other security camera. Lizzie waited until he landed before explaining.

'See that window above us. On the Third floor, the one with the bars missing, that was mine. I burnt through the bars using that liquid but didn't use it as an escape route because it looked too far to the ground and I didn't trust my powers. We should be able to get in that way though. We're more likely to meet Max on that level because that's where all the workers (except The Boss' favourites) lived. Knowing the X-men, they'll go straight up and confront The Boss. Good in a sense because that means not only will we be unlikely to bump into them, it occupies The Boss whilst we snoop around.' She glanced at Luke. He hadn't really taken any of that it, but nodded all the same. She knew he hadn't really listened, but decided not to comment on that. Luke spread his wings, took hold of Lizzie and flapped up until he was level with the window. Using her heel, Lizzie knocked the unlocked window open. She scrambled through and Luke followed, withdrawing his wings at the same time.

It looked as though they had walked straight into Max's room. There were circuit boards scattered on the desk. Several books were stacked against the bed and hanging from the wardrobe was a dragon's fang. Whilst Lizzie knelt and looked at the book titles, Luke opened the wardrobe. From within he pulled the satual. It was the same make as both his and Lizzie's but while Lizzie's was brown and his black, Max's was a silvery grey. There was also a belt-like strap which went around his waist as Luke explained. Lizzie helped Luke pile clothes, books and everything else into the bag. She was surprised that everything fitted in. Then again, some of the things in Luke's bag shouldn't fit in and she was surprised her bag wasn't heavier than it was with all the stuff she had in it.

Once they had finished, they opened the door and peered out. The corridor seemed empty. They were about to exit when they heard another door open. Two men appeared at the bottom of the strip. Lizzie stiffened as she recognised one of them: Strongman. They entered a door at the bottom of the hall. They came out again, dragging a blonde girl behind them. She was making it very clear that she didn't want to go with them. They entered a door which had been part of the wall. The door slide shut and the wall once again seemed intact. Lizzie nodded at Luke and, but before they stepped into the corridor, they were once again interrupted as someone came running down the corridor. A lean lad with sandy hair sprinted past, followed by two other people: one tall bulky man who hobbled a bit, the other was a scrawny girl with mousy brown hair.

'Max!' The boy ahead stopped. 'Come and help. We're under attack and you won't protect the person you're meant to.' The boy turned and looked back. His face said everything: he hated the two people following.

'I am going to protect the most important person. But of course, we're talking of two very different people.' Even his voice was thick with hatred. The man scoffed and the girl smirked.

'Touching really, but if you don't come naturally,' she raised her left hand, 'we'll take you by force.' She smiled and as Max tried to back away she sent sound waves down the corridor. They rebounded off the walls and enclosed Max in an area of intense sound. He dropped to the ground, hands over his ears, a look of pain flickered across his face.

Lizzie was reminded of the other time she'd seen someone like that. It made her blood boil. Before Luke could stop her, she'd pushed open the door, stepped onto the hall and called, 'it's unfair to attack without letting the other person prepare themselves.' The girl whipped round. The fireball hit her in the neck and she collapsed against the wall opposite. Lizzie shrugged, 'though if you're going to play that way, I will too.'

Her companion roared. Lizzie turned to him. His fingernails were becoming sharper; fangs were growing inside his mouth; he rolled his eyes back and when they reappeared they were a blood red colour. He took a few steps towards Lizzie. The was a snarl and Luke sprang out of the door. His sabre-like claws were out, his fangs were long and he moved with a light agility that his opponent lacked. He bowled the man over and slashed out at his face. There was a howl as his claws cut the top layers of skin. Lizzie looked round to see the girl flexing her fingers at Luke.

'No you don't!' Lizzie swung her hand up and the air particle stilled. The girl gasped and turned to Lizzie. Suddenly the metal walkway beneath her feet began to move. It crept up her legs, fixing them in position. It had reached her knees before the girl realised what was happening and had reached her waist before she pinpointed who it was. Max was back on his feet, his hands were up and his face was full of concentration. The girl cried out and Luke was suddenly beside Lizzie. He wiped a smear of blood away from his lip and looked guiltily back. Lizzie didn't want to see what his rival now looked like, horrible most likely.

'Max,' the girl repeated, this time her voice was filled with panic, 'Max please!' The metal had now reached her chest. 'Max stop! If you don't go… she'll die! Your sister will die.' The metal stopped.

'I don't believe you,' Max said uncertainly, 'Maloney's still in her room…'

'Max,' Lizzie said nervously, this was her first time talking to him, 'is your sister blonde?' Max stared at her, 'if she is… she isn't in the room at the bottom any more. Some men took her away.' Max's breathing became faster, his face filled with panic. He looked over his shoulder at the door. The metal started to creep up the girl's body again as he looked back, anger had taken over the panic.

'Where would they take her?' he asked the girl. They knew her answer would be truthful. Her hands had been completely covered and only her head remained.

'To The Boss!' she said in a panic, 'he wants her to be there so you'll fight for him.' Max paled and stopped contorting the metal. He lowered his hands. Lizzie rushed to him.

'I have to go,' he tried to push past her but Lizzie caught his arm.

'Max listen,' she whispered, 'I used to be here. If you go up the stairs and pretend to do as the Boss says. We'll go the way they took Maloney. We'll see if we can get her back. Then you join us,' she smiled at him, 'a good way to introduce us is to causally announce to The Boss that "Runaway" is back.' She chuckled at the bemused look on Max's face. 'You'll enjoy the response, don't worry.' Max tried to smile, but it was too weak to be called a smile. Luke chucked him the silver bag.

'You're stuff's in there.' Max nodded and walked past Luke. He passed the unconscious body of the man and reached the end of the corridor. He glanced back for a minute, and then carried on. Lizzie gestured at Luke and began to walk to the other end of the corridor.

'You're not going to leave us here are you?' the girl called. Lizzie paused for a moment, nodded and faced the door that was pretending to be a wall. She clicked her fingers and with the force of an explosion, the door caved in. Behind it was a steep staircase. It was rather roughly made, giving Lizzie the impression that it was fairly new. Lizzie started up it and Luke followed.

They didn't stop until they reached the end of the stairs. They were in another corridor and Lizzie could guess where they were: they were in the Boss' private hall. There seemed to be no-one around. Lizzie and Luke checked every room along the corridor and found no-one. The final door they came to they could hear voices on the other side and the sound of a fight. Lizzie glanced at Luke. He nodded and they slowly pushed the door open.

They were at the top of a flight of stairs. In front of them were a large bloke and a young girl. The man was holding the girl's neck in a giant hand. Lizzie didn't need to guess who this was. She'd seen this man hold Kurt in exactly the same way, except he'd not been touching the floor. To their right was a throne. In the throne, sat The Boss. His face was just as ugly as Lizzie remembered. He was watching the X-men get flattened. It was probably so much easier when someone on your team can stop time. Lizzie watched as Cyclopes hit the ground. Kurt had been blindfolded again and Iceman was trying his best to keep them away from him. Shadowcat went to remove the blindfold. Lizzie watched as, commanded by The Boss, Max froze time and two men carried Shadowcat off to the corner of the room. The Boss was being very amused by Wolverine, who was trying to fight his way over to him, but whenever he came close Max would freeze time and Leader and another commander would drag Wolverine back to the beginning. Frost was trying to penetrate Max's mind, but was failing.

'Unfair,' Lizzie muttered, 'let's even things out.' They slipped out of the door. Lizzie tapped Strongman on the shoulder. He began to turn but Luke was faster. His fist connected with the side of Strongman's head and Strongman staggered back. He'd let go of Maloney. Lizzie grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of view. Max noticed this. He turned his head slightly and saw Lizzie give him thumbs up. He cleared his throat.

'I'm surprised she isn't here yet,' he muttered as if talking to himself. The Boss' attention was immediately upon him.

'Who isn't here yet?' he asked lazily. Lizzie bent and whispered in Maloney's ear. She nodded and hurried down the steps to stand beside Luke, who put his arm round her and bent down to check whether Strongman was really unconscious.

'Oh,' Max hesitated. He glanced towards Lizzie, pretending Maloney was still there. He sighed, 'just a girl. She called herself "Runaway".' He took a quick look at The Boss. His face was filled with terror. 'She told me…'

'Why didn't you say this before?' The Boss squealed. 'We should get out of here.' He turned and looked straight at Lizzie. Lizzie smiled pleasantly.

'Hello, sir.' There was silence in the room. Everyone who recognised the voice stopped to see what was going on; those who didn't recognise it looked round out of curiosity. The X-men looked confused and amazed. Only Kurt didn't look confused about why Lizzie had just called The Boss "sir".

'You work for him?' Wolverine growled. Lizzie laughed.

'No! Goodness no, I wouldn't work for him again if you paid me. I doubt he'd want after what I did to his business eight years ago.' She gave The Boss a cocky smile, 'isn't that right?'

The Boss snarled. 'Oh! I remember! How could I forget? Runaway… I lost my best man to you. Strongman did want his revenge. Didn't you…?' he started looking over Lizzie's shoulder. Strongman didn't answer. He was out cold. Luke was standing over him, Maloney gripping his t-shirt, picking at his teeth with one long nail. He looked up as everyone looked at him. He frowned and pointed down at Strongman. 'I don't think he's going to answer you…'

Lizzie laughed. The Boss panicked and looked down at Max. 'Freeze everything. Help me!'

'Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't. If you haven't noticed, my sister's over there.' He pointed at Luke and Maloney. The Boss opened his mouth to say something then something hit him on the side of the head. He tumbled from his seat, down the stairs and landed in a heap on the ground. Lizzie lowered her leg.

'That was easy,' she said and strolled down the stairs. Leader confronted her at the bottom.

The other thieves, realising that their best weapon wasn't going to help them any longer, panicked and the X-men began to take the advantage. After leaving Leader to Max, Lizzie travelled the room to Kurt and pulled the blindfold from him. He grinned at her then the smile faded.

'Not this time,' he muttered and vanished. Lizzie turned just as Screecher pressed the button. The sound hurt. It affected everyone in the room, Wolverine and Luke being the worst effected. Then there came a thud and Screecher was knocked to the floor. The small, black sound-maker skidded across the floor. Lizzie pointed her finger at it and it exploded. The black shards flew up into the air and then a girl redirected them at a thief's face.

'Is she with you?' Kurt asked. Lizzie shook her head. Kurt looked round the room. 'This brings back memories, ya?'

'Yeah…' Lizzie turned away so Kurt couldn't see her tears. He took her arm.

'Lizzie,' he whispered. Lizzie looked at him, looked over his shoulder and shook his arm off her.

'It's over,' she said. Kurt glanced back to see the thieves on the ground and Leader and The Boss were sitting, backs against each other, bound with metal cords. Max, thought Lizzie. She looked round and spotted Max standing with the only survivor.

The girl who had survived was the same one who had controlled the plastic pieces of Screecher's mechanism. She had ginger waist length hair which was up in a long ponytail and her face was covered in freckles. She was shaking her head as Lizzie drew closer, Kurt following uncertainly.

'Irma,' Max was saying, 'Come off it. We've won. You don't need to pretend any longer…'

'That's the thing…' Irma mumbled, 'I don't work for them and I can't join you…'

'Irma, you're the only person here who has understood me…'

'Because I'm in the same position! Max… I'm sorry…' Irma sniffed and admitted, 'I work for the MRD.' Everybody flinched back. 'When the X-men arrived I told them that they could trap the X-man and the Thieves in the same building. I had to tell them… they have my brother…' she was looking at Max desperately. 'He… he'll…'

'Loose his job,' Luke finished for her.

'How do you know?'

'I'm a telepath,' Luke said, shaking his head, 'you have put lives at risk for the sake of a job! Don't you realise that if you're caught here you'll be prosecuted anyway for being a mutant.' She shook her head, horrified. 'Well now you do.'

Wolverine turned away. Irma had raised her hands to her mouth, staring at Luke in realisation dawned upon her. Maloney clutched at Max and he gently rubbed her small hand. Wolverine turned back.

'That was Forge from the plane. He estimates that we have about three minutes to get out of here before the MRD are upon us… hey, what are you doing?' Everyone turned but they had been alerted too late. Strongman had crawled up the stairs, pushed the throne aside and pressed a large, flat, black button. He grinned weakly and collapsed.

'He's set the bomb!' The Boss exclaimed, 'You won't get out now!' He laughed manically and was promptly knocked out by Iceman.

Max turned to Wolverine. 'If I can find it, I could defuse it or at least buy us some more time. Enough time to evacuate the building.'

'You're going to need my help,' Irma said, 'I helped build the outer layers; they're made entirely out of plastic. I remove those quickly so you can get to the bomb.'

'Why can't I just blast…?' Cyclopes began.

'The way the bomb runs means that simply blasting it would cause it blow up. If they wanted to destroy the building, the Thieves must have a pretty powerful bomb! Why are we wasting time though? Don't we have to find it and…'

'That's the thing,' Wolverine growled, 'we don't know where-'

'It's on the first floor,' Lizzie said. Everyone looked at her, 'they were always talking about the last resort on the first floor. It needs to be near the ground and in the centre of the building to destroy all of it. However the Thieves only own half this building. At least they did was I was here…' she looked at Irma to confirm this. She nodded. Lizzie returned the nod. 'It's probably in a large crate, like the one we hid behind.' She gestured at Kurt and herself. Only half the people in the room understood this remark. 'But why are we wasting time? Let's go!' She headed for the door. Luke met her there.

'I'm going to help the X-men evacuate the building,' he told Lizzie. Max and Irma passed her on their way downstairs. Maloney stopped by Luke and he lifted her into his arms. Lizzie nodded and heard Wolverine giving orders. She was halfway down the stairs when she realised that Kurt was following her. When questioned, Kurt told her that Wolverine had told him to follow her and "keep an eye on things". At that, Lizzie snorted.

They met Max and Irma on the first floor. They had already found the bomb. Irma was peeling away the last layer when they sprinted in. Max wiped sweat from his brow and bent low over the mechanism within. 'This is an easy one,' they heard him mutter. They looked at the timer. They had less than twenty seconds left. Nineteen…eighteen…

'Don't mean to rush you…' Lizzie started.

'Then don't,' Max interrupted crossly, 'that should do it.' The counter stopped at ten seconds. There was a pause. Max sat up and the clock ticked down again. 'Oh,' Max said. He reached in and gripped a lever. The counter seemed to stop. It went down one second. Then another.

'I haven't stopped it; I've just made it go slower.'

'What does that mean?' Lizzie asked.

'It means that someone needs to hold this and then they watch their death approach whilst we escape.' Max didn't sound very happy about it. He started searching his bag for something. He let go of the lever to wipe his brow.

The clock ticked.

A hand reached forward.

Irma gripped the lever with both hands and pulled hard. The timer ticked even slower.

'Go,' Irma said. Max went to complain, 'no, Max! I'm making up for what I did to you. I shouldn't… it was my foolishness which got me into this situation in the first place. Now I'm making amends.' She didn't sound very happy. Max went to pull her away, but Lizzie stopped him. They turned and walked out. The boys were always looking back over their shoulders. Lizzie had learnt not to.

They met the X-men, Luke, Maloney and the Thieves outside. When asked about Irma, Lizzie replied, 'she's stayed behind to buy us time.'

'Time we don't have,' Wolverine muttered as they heard the screech of tyres. The MRD had arrived. Lizzie bit her lip and turned to Wolverine.

'If they go in there, they'll be killed. If they find you, you'll be killed. We all know how much the MRD wants the X-men. Let us draw them away from you.'

'No!' both Kurt and Maloney cried. Luke and Max however nodded in agreement with Lizzie's plan. Max detached himself from Maloney. Maloney began to cry and Shadowcat put her arm around her.

'Take her home for me,' Max told her then walked off in the direction of one of the sirens. Luke set off in the opposite direction.

Lizzie grinned at Wolverine, 'you owe us big time.' He growled in response. The X-men started off in the direction of their plane. Kurt hung back.

'You don't have to; come with us,' he started to pull her arm towards the ally.

Lizzie shook her head. 'Sorry Kurt. Not this time. But I promise. I'll see you soon. Sooner than you think.' Lizzie began to walk the same way Luke had. She heard Kurt calling her name. The more he said it, the faster she walked until she was running. She ran round the corner straight an the MRD.

Luke was in the air calling at them, warning them about the bomb inside. He dived as Lizzie sped past. She wasn't going to give the MRD the chance. She ignored Luke and turned the corner. There she was confronted with more MRD officers.

Lizzie cried out in frustration and leapt. She hit the wall and continued running, calling upon clay slabs for her to step on. It seemed so easy, like she had done it before. She chose a spot and dived head first through the wall.

Lizzie rolled and stood. There ahead of her was Irma. Irma seemed both surprised and alarmed at Lizzie's sudden appearance. She was even more alarmed when Lizzie started to tug at her, pulling her away from the bomb.

'I can't. I must stay here…'

'If you stay here you die, do you want that?'

'I should. It will end so many disputes…'

'What about your family? You said you were doing this for your brother…'

'I lied. I don't have any family. The MRD killed them. I grew up in MRD confinement. I was promised freedom from this confinement if I infiltrated one of the biggest groups dealing in armed robbery and smuggling. That was nearly eight years ago. Ever since I've been hunting for them. I was one of the five whom broke The Boss out of prison. I killed to get that thug out of prison. When we were talking and Luke told me the truth I realised. They wouldn't release me. I killed. They knew I'd have to kill to gain their trust. They never intended to truly release me. But the years being free had messed with my head.' The timer had ticked to two seconds. Another passed. 'You'd better go.'

'Not without you,' Lizzie muttered and she gripped Irma under her armpits and yanked hard. Irma grunted and let go. Lizzie pulled Irma to the wall, forced a hole in the bricks, pushed her through it, dived through and hit the ground; she raised her head high enough to see the black jet leave and then the bomb went off.

They would have been killed by falling bricks and rock if Lizzie hadn't developed the knack of producing strong earthen shield when needed. The shield came up as debris rained down on them. Then it was over. Lizzie pushed away the wreckage and clambered out. She looked down at Irma cowering amongst the rubble.

'Do yourself a favour. Go out, live life and, if you can't find anything, go to Genosha.' She began to walk down the ally. She was hailed by someone and Max and Luke joined her.

'Run,' Luke said. So she did.

'What's the matter?' Lizzie yelled at Luke.

'MRD, what do think?' he yelled back.

'We need to split up; it'll make it harder for them to catch us. I'll head to Jessica's to tell her the Guardians are back together. She'll be delighted to hear that! If we don't run into one another then let's meet up ay Xavier's manor: the X-men's hideout. Deal?'

'Deal,' the boys agreed and at in the clearing they split: Max went right, Luke went left and Lizzie went straight on. She wasn't really thinking about where she was going. Only one thing was going through her head.

The Guardians were finally back together… what now?


	7. Flee!

The bus stopped. Maloney stared gloomily out of the window at the people getting on below. Her mum took a sidelong glance at her daughter then returned to stare straight ahead. It had been nearly a week since Max had been set free, but he still hadn't come back. Maloney knew that she need not worry about him. He could look after himself. That didn't stop her worrying though.

A boy climbed the last of the stairs. She saw him out of the corner of her eye. But she hadn't seen him come on. No-one else seemed to notice. He moved along the bus and sat down in the two empty seats behind Maloney and her mother. Something about him made Maloney uncomfortable. Was she uncomfortable? The boy certainly sparked memories, but she couldn't work out why.

The bus started up again. Maloney kept her gaze fixed out of the window, until a jab in her side made her look round. A finger wiggled its way up the narrow crack in the two seats until it could slot back through the gap. Maloney watched it work its way up then glimpsed the owner. Her face split into a large smile.

Luke grinned back. 'I knew it was you,' he muttered.

Maloney's heart was pounding in her ribs. She peeked at her mother, but she was concentrating on her own thoughts, so Maloney whispered back, 'Does that mean…? Max, is Max alright?'

Luke sighed, 'I think he is. I hope he is…' He broke off.

'What do you mean?'

'What?'

'What do you mean "you hope he is"?'

'We… got split up. I've spent the last week looking for them: Lizzie and Max, that is. But I've decided that they've already left.'

'Left for where?'

'That's a secret.'

'Tell me.'

'I…' Luke broke off to stare out of the window. 'Jessica…' he said and before Maloney could stop him, Luke leapt out of his seat, raced down the bus and down the stairs. She looked back out of the window and watched Luke get off.

Her mum sighed. 'Pity, I hoped that he would tell you if your brother was alright.' Maloney started and looked round in shock as her mother smiled down on her. 'Yes, I was listening.' She put her arm round Maloney and pulled her close. Maloney rested her head on her mother's chest. 'I care for Max too, no matter what he is.' Maloney's mum whispered and wiped a tear from her eye.

*

Max stopped running. Running looked too suspicious. He wasn't dressed in running attire and his satual was full to breaking point. It could hold anything: stolen goods, a victim's garments, or a bomb. Don't be stupid, he told himself that was too extreme.

He collapsed on the nearest park bench. His bag was weighing him down like a ton of bricks. What had Lizzie always said about travelling light? Only pack what you need; you shouldn't need much. Yeah, Max snorted, right! When he had broken into his own house, he'd grabbed everything that he could, everything of value to him. It was alright for Lizzie, thought Max grumpily; she'd never had much…

Absentmindedly he watched a couple of girls across the park. A tall dark one with nice legs was pestering a girl of similar height but her skin was pale. The girl tossed her hair back. The familiar way it fell upon her shoulders caught Max's attention. That flick at the end, the way it swept like it was being blown by a breeze.

'Jessica…' he breathed. The sound seemed to have gone from the world. There she was: Jessica. He slowly rose and began to cross the park towards her. The sound was flooding back. It was filled by the sound of sirens. The MRD had caught up with him.

Max twisted and grunted in annoyance as three MRD trucks screeched to a halt in the park's car park. He exhaled and as he breathed in, he focused. Nothing happened. Confused, Max turned round and round. A sharp pain in his wrist told him what the problem was. In frustration, he ripped open the clasp and tore off the wristband. He tried and failed again. It needed time to deactivate, but time was not what he had. Max could see the MRD officers swarming out of the vans. He backed off, ready to run.

The girls had stopped arguing as the pale one had spotted the MRD vans rolling in. Jessica gasped as she saw the MRD but the real surprise came when she noticed the boy standing looking lost in the centre of the park field. There was no time for him to mingle with the crowds. The MRD were onto him; there was no time for him to go anywhere.

Here was where she choose. Jessica knew it. She could ignore the distressed Max and so renounce her membership in the Guardians or she could give up her family and friends to openly declare that she was a mutant. Jessica knew that she had no choice. She would always choose the second path, even if it meant that she might die. She would never quit Guardians. She couldn't quit. That was plain fact.

Jessica reached up and slowly tugged out the earrings she was wearing. She felt the needles retract from her and the potion's effect on her began to wane. She turned to Isabel. Isabel looked at her sorrowfully. She could tell that what was going to happen next was not going to be good. Jessica took a deep breath.

'I need you to do something very important,' she said calmly. Isabel said nothing. Jessica forced down the tears. 'Tell my parents I love them and that the path I'm taking is one I can never run away from. They will understand.' Still Isabel didn't reply. Jessica could see that she was trying to hold back tears too. Jessica pulled her into a brief hug then held her at arms length. She nodded, turned and ran across the grass to Max. He spun round to face her as she drew close. His face split into a gratified smile.

'Jessica! Thank goodness!' he gave her a quick hug then stepped back expectantly. 'So where's our get away transport?' he asked, looking around as if hoping something would just appear.

Jessica made a small noise. 'About that… I've just taken my earrings out-' the way she said the word earrings made Max wince, he knew what was coming next '-so it's going to be a while before something appears. Could you possible…?'

'No.'

'What… why?'

'Because I've just taken my wristband off,' Max held it up for Jessica to see. Silently, Jessica cursed her ill luck.

'We can't wait!' she said and shivered. She blinked and glanced at Max. 'Please say that was you!'

'It was. Rather weak though.' He sighed. 'I think this is it, Jess,' he whispered, 'the end of the line…'

'Don't start talking like that!' Jessica snapped, 'that's what I hate about you and like about Lizzie; you see a desperate situation and you give in. Lizzie sees a situation and tries to improve it no matter what the cost. We will get out of this. I've known that sometime I'm going to have to show what I am and I've prepared for it. We're going to get out of this situation alive and meet up with Luke and Lizzie!'

'You know where we're meeting then?' Max asked.

'No, that's why I'm here and I need you.' Jessica flexed her right hand. She felt the tingling sensation she got every time she summoned. 'I need you to slow everything down now.'

Max concentrated; Jessica focused. Most of the MRD officers were in position now, but none of them expected what happened after that. They obviously didn't see the dragon rise from out of the bubbles, they couldn't have known that time was stopping around them. All they knew was one minute they had the mutants surrounded, next second a dragon was glaring down at them and the boy and girl were climbing onto its scaly back. The people in the park screamed and ran. Looking back, Jessica could see Isabel standing where she had left her, gobsmacked. She didn't wave. She just dug her knees into the dragon's sides and it took off. With the beating of powerful wings it swooped and soared, the two figures clinging to its back.

Isabel watched with her mouth hanging open slightly. Without knowing why, once the dragon had disappeared, she turned and started to run. She caught the bus just in time and sat at the front her forehead leaning against the window. She'd considered it for a while, but it hadn't really sunk in until now. Now it all made sense. Jessica had to be a mutant. She had to be.

The jokes, the fixations: they were thrown into a new light. A different perspective; one she could understand. The dragon, was that why she loved them so much? Her sketchbook was teeming with dragons. Then there were her friends; her new friends, the ones that Isabel hadn't seen before. Lizzie and Luke and that new one, the one she didn't know the name of. He was one of them too. She knew it.

*

She pressed the button. She heard the doorbell's electronic ring through the door. Footsteps followed. The door opened. Lizzie prepared her best smile as Mrs Brown opened the door.

'Good day. I was wondering whether I could speak to Jessica about something. It's vital I have her opinion on something.'

Mrs Brown carefully considered her, remembering where she had seen the girl before, then she answered. 'I'm sorry but Jessica's out at the moment. I could leave her a message.'

'That would be nice, but I need to speak to her pretty much now. Do you know where she went?'

'I'm sorry. She said she was going out with Isabel, her friend-'

'I know Isabel.'

'Oh! Well, I suppose they would head in the direction of the shops and the park. But…'

'You!' Lizzie turned and came face-to-face with Isabel. Isabel was panting; still red in the face from running and the look she was giving Lizzie wasn't a nice one.

Lizzie raised her eyebrows. 'Isabel! I was just-'

'If you're looking for Jessica, you're too late. She's already taken off!'

'Taken off?' Lizzie and Mrs Brown asked together. Isabel seemed to swell then blurted out the whole story: their walk, their argument, what Jessica had said and the dragon! Mrs Brown had gasped at that and raised her hand to her mouth; Lizzie had barely reacted. It was that that made Isabel really explode.

'I knew it! I knew there was something odd about you! She… she made that dragon didn't she!'

'You're not as thick as I thought,' Lizzie replied icily.

Isabel snarled, 'you're one too aren't you! That's why you're so close. That little… group! We should call the MRD then they'll get you. They'll get all of you.'

'I doubt it,' Lizzie whispered.

Isabel snorted. 'Let's see you run now. We'll phone them, they'll get you and I'll visit you just to laugh and tease you through the bars.' She turned to see that Mrs Brown hadn't moved. 'Why are you still standing there?! Why haven't you called them?'

But Mrs Brown wasn't looking at Isabel. She was staring at Lizzie. Slowly, Lizzie looked round. Mrs Brown removed her hand and said, 'we were told when those people brought Jessica back that they weren't to thank. They said that a different group saved her. Were you… were you one of them?'

There was a pause then Lizzie nodded. Mrs Brown stared at her before turning back to Isabel. 'I'm not going for the MRD. You can, but I won't. My daughter can make her own choices. But she has always known, always told us that there was something that she had to do. A path that she had to take. If this is that path, I will not try and pull her back, but I tell her to move onwards.' Leaving Isabel stunned on the pavement she turned back to Lizzie. 'Go up the stairs, the first door on the left is Jessica's. If you're going to meet up with her, would you mind taking some of her clothes for her?'

'Of course,' Lizzie answered and Mrs Brown let her into the house. At that Isabel started raving again. She shouted about betraying humankind, handing freedom to the mutants. She shouted so loud that most of the street came out to watch. Some of them started dialling on their phones. Mrs Brown just watched with an exasperated look which made most of the street think that Isabel was yelling at her for no reason. Then Lizzie appeared, a sports bag was slung over her shoulder, and started to walk away from the house.

Isabel tried to grab Lizzie as she passed her to get onto the pavement. Lizzie shrugged her off. Isabel started screaming at the neighbours to stop her. 'She's a mutant!' At that cry, many started to move to stop Lizzie, but their movements where hesitant.

Lizzie walked past them all. She ignored the hands reaching for her. Only one man managed to get a firm grip on her, but she just hit his wrists until he let go. She walked out of that street and down another. No-one came after her. They were still trying to work out if she really was a mutant.

'If she was, why didn't she do anything? Why didn't she shut the girl up?' many asked.

Others retaliated, 'if she wasn't, the girl wouldn't be shouting.'

'She said she was a mutant!' Isabel declared. 'Didn't she?' she said, rounding on Mrs Brown for help.

Mrs Brown shook her head, 'she didn't say she was...'

'She didn't say she wasn't!'

Mrs Brown sighed, 'Isabel, give it a rest! Unless you fancy running after her, she's not coming back.' With that, Mrs Brown shut the door in Isabel's face.

*

Max had to admit, it felt great sitting on the back of the great beast, the wind whipping the hair out of his face and his arms tightened round Jessica's waist. At first he'd been reluctant about holding her there, he didn't mind so much now. They were swooping low over the sea, watching the sun glittering in the reflection of the rippling waves. The coast swerved away from them again. Max couldn't help smiling. Jessica squeezed Tinamont's sides again and the dragon rose higher. It twisted and turned and flew above the clouds. Now they were soaring over fluffy clouds and the sun blazed over them. Max smiled peacefully. Peace, for the first time in ages. It didn't last for long.

The choppers whirring blades broke the blanket of white behind them. Max heard the roaring in his ears then the dragon dived. He cried out as it plummeted and wheeled around in a tight curve. They were flying north-east, further out to sea. The coast swept away. The MRD were still on their tail.

Jessica muttered something and Tinamont vanished. Max yelled out as he slipped. The energy was reshaping around him. It reformed into a great white bird. Like a large eagle, it had a large plume of pale feathers at its head. Its wings were longer than the helicopter blades and it cut the air as it flew. It was fast, Max could tell. But it wasn't fast enough.

Max looked back at the MRD copters. There were four of them. Ugly, he thought. They were still with them though. They weren't falling behind. Then Max saw the gun.

He thought it was a gun. Even before the officer had pulled the trigger, Max's anger had pulsed through him. He raised his left hand and the gun sealed itself. If they want to play dirty so will I, he thought. He stood up on the birds back and felt the air around his fingertips go cold and still.

Jessica looked back at him as time froze. The helicopters stopped. The men were halted. All was still. Max's face was stony and unreadable. When Jessica went touch him, he pulled away.

'I can't keep this up,' he whispered.

'You don't have to. Prone…'

'It doesn't matter if he is a fast flyer,' Max interrupted, correctly interpreting what Jessica was about to say, 'I can't hold them still for so long.' He looked down at her. She looked back up at him. Her flyaway brown hair was whipping into her face and making her brown eyes crease slightly as it hit her. She seemed so scared. He knelt beside her. 'You need to fly on. I'll hold them off.' She started to shake her head, grabbing for his hand, but he'd let her go. 'Fly north. You know where to go now.' Then he turned and stepped off the giant bird.

Time started. The MRD stared at the bird so far ahead now. They couldn't understand it. Then they saw Max. He held himself in the air. It was harder than he expected. Soon though, he thought, he could fashion himself a smooth flying vehicle. As streamline as that eagle, but with the elegance of machinery. He smiled as the helicopters flew at him with doubled energy. Their loss, Max thought and raised his right hand. The helicopter furthest on the left scrunched up. MRD officers threw themselves out of the contracting machine. Max waited until he was sure that they were all out before he dragged the wreck through the air batting back those who were closest. He know he crush them all. Strike them down like flies. He couldn't. To that, he'd have to kill. The one thing he couldn't do. Kill.

Distracted, he hadn't noticed the net. It missed most of him, save for his leg which it wrapped around and squeezed. He slipped and focused on steadying himself. He turned to see the MRD man reloading. Anger seized him again and he put his hands together. He interlocked his fingers then with a yell wrenched them apart. The aircraft was torn apart. He watched the crew fall into the deep water below. He elevated above the MRD copters, the net still clinging to him. His glasses flashed in the sunlight. The anger burned. _Let them feel pain_; the words ran through his brain, coinciding with the anger. Hurt them, he thoughts sang, hurt them. He raised his hands. The helicopters crumpled beneath him. Their wings buckled. The glass smashed. He heard the shouts, the cries for help. The pain they must be experiencing. The pain…

He lowered his hands, looking down. Worry now racked his body, weakening his anger. Why? They're doing their job. It was Irma's issue all over again. They had to. The wings straightened out and began turning again. Slowly the helicopters spun back into action.

It hurtled out of nowhere. The balls caught him round the back of the head. The elasticised rope connecting them pinned his arms to his body. His focused dropped. He fell. Struggling against the ropes he tried to concentrate. Then his glasses were whipped off by the wind and he lost his sight. Blinded by this sudden fiasco, Max knew he couldn't stop himself. He was going to fall. The water below will catch him, ensnaring him in its icy grasp. The MRD will pull him out then what? They can't put him in a metal cell. He'd given that away. Plastic most likely will become his world. Plastic walls, plastic doors, plastic cutlery…

Why wasn't he falling? Max opened one eye. All he could make out was a figure cutting away at his elastic ropes with sharp blades. He let his arm be placed around someone's neck. He could feel wings beating. Then someone handed him his glasses.

Hurriedly, Max rammed them on. Luke came into focus. He grinned as Max stared at him in surprise. The MRD hardly stopped them as Luke soared towards the shore. As they flew closer, Max saw a figure standing on a cliff, waiting. Lizzie stepped back to a safe distance as Luke fluttered down and landed. Max felt so glad to be back on solid ground. Lizzie raised an eyebrow.

'Impressive, until you were stupid enough to let yourself get distracted. How did you levitate?'

'I Defied Gravity,' Max smiled. Lizzie looked puzzled. Max sighed. 'You've forgotten haven't you… it doesn't matter.' Lizzie folded her arms and stared at him. Max shifted uncomfortably. 'How did you find me?' he asked.

'Luke saw the dragon and followed it at a safe distance. He was chased to shore by the MRD which was where he met me. We watched you fight off the MRD and stayed in case you needed our help. Good job isn't it. Now you haven't answered my question…'

Max rolled his eyes and ignored her. Instead he turned to Luke and said, 'so are you going to fly us to the X-men or are we going to walk?'

Luke shook his head. 'I'm too tired to fly both of you. Besides it's nearer than you think, a couple of hours maximum.' Max shrugged. Luke nodded and picked up the sports bag next to Lizzie. Together they turned and walked away. Sighing, Max followed, wondering if Jessica had got there already.

*

Storm looked out over the sea. Her fight with Angel had shaken her; she needed time to get over his betrayal. Time she didn't have. She wiped a tear from her eye. It was on this cliff that Emma had peered into Scott's memories and they had seen Jean. Storm sighed and pulled her jacket closer. She heard someone calling her name and looked round.

Logan approached slowly. 'You should come in soon,' he said, 'you'll catch a cold otherwise.'

'Leave me alone Logan,' Storm purposeful turned her back on him. Logan shrugged and moved away. Bobby gave him a helpful shove in Storm's direction. Logan glared at him and tried again.

'Strom, you can't stay out here forever.'

'And why can't I?' Storm asked, glaring at Logan.

Logan started to answer but was distracted by something over Storm's shoulder. 'What on earth is that?' he said. Storm and Bobby followed Logan's gaze. Something was flying low over the water. Something big and it was heading straight for them.

The three of them watched it come closer. Then Storm hurried back from the edge. 'I think she's planning to land.' The boys stared at her.

'How do you know it's a girl?' Bobby enquired.

'Because I don't know anyone else who has one,' Storm smiled. Then the black shadow soared above the cliff edge. Bobby cried out and staggered back. Logan and Storm simply stared as the dragon swooped over their heads in the direction of the mansion. Bobby gaped as it flapped and landed in the field before them. Logan could see everyone else coming out of the manor.

'Come on,' he said to Storm, 'let's go and check she's alright.'

'Are you sure?' Bobby asked, 'how do you know it's safe?'

'I don't,' Logan replied, savouring the expression on Bobby's face. He and Storm trudged up. The dragon gave them a momentary glance but didn't go for them. Logan watched a figure scramble down the dragon's scaly back and land before them. There was a flash of amber light and the dragon disappeared. Bobby watched open-mouthed as the bubbles of energy whirled round and disappeared into the girl.

'Cool…' he breathed.

'Thanks,' Jessica tossed her hair back. She looked round at them. 'Are they…? I don't feel…' She didn't finish. She crumpled to the ground.

'Jessica?' Storm ran to her side. Logan and Bobby followed. 'Jessica? Jessica?'

Jessica didn't hear them calling her name. She'd drifted off and the three people calling her name were smiling. Two boys and one girl: Lizzie, Max and Luke.

*

They trudged on. Luke had misjudged the distance to the Xavier manor. They reached a little clearing in the evening and settled down for the night. Lizzie stared up at the stars and wondered about her life before she lost her memory. Luke had flown off as an owl to scout ahead. Max was fiddling with a small electronic devise.

'Max,' Lizzie said after a while, 'you can work with memories can't you.'

Max looked up at her. 'Yeah,' he replied slowly.

'Well,' Lizzie rolled onto her front and started playing with the grass, 'I've lost mine. I was wondering whether you could… help me get them back.' She looked up at Max hopefully.

Max sighed and put his work aside. 'Sorry,' he said.

'Is that no?' Lizzie sat up and stared at him. Her eyes were gleaming in the moonlight.

'I'm not sure I could do it,' Max said hurriedly, 'Sorry,' he muttered apologetically.

'Don't bother,' Lizzie retorted, sounding harsher than she meant. She twisted round and lay back down. Max went back to his work. After a while he heard Lizzie's gentle breathing; she was asleep. A little while later, Luke arrived. The owl shook itself and reformed. Luke spat feathers out of his mouth.

'I've searched ahead. We're not far… but my last guess was wrong wasn't it,' he searched Max's serious face in puzzlement, 'what's wrong? Has something happened?'

Max glanced at Lizzie to reassure himself that she really was asleep then murmured, 'she asked me to give her memory back.'

'Did you?' Luke sat down beside Max and watched Lizzie.

Max shook his head. 'I'm not sure she'd cope with the truth yet.'

'We have to give them back sometime,' Luke muttered.

'Have you seen Eizel?' Luke shook his head. 'Me neither, which means she could be…'

'She's not dead,' Luke mumbled, 'I know that.'

Max sighed, 'for the moment, Lizzie believes that I can't return her memories. We can't tell her the truth, not yet.' Max yawned. 'I'm going to sleep.' He put his things away and lay down.

Luke stifled a yawn, rubbed his eyes wearily and shuffled over to give Max some room to sleep. He lay down facing Lizzie. Her face displayed a peaceful, untroubled sleep. Luke rolled over and closed his eyes. He mumbled something incoherent and pummelled his bag into a more comfortable pillow shape.

When the boys were snoring, Lizzie turned over and stared up at the starry sky. What was that all about? She thought about what they had said. Who was Eizel? What did they have to do with her past? And if Max could return her memories, why had he not? Were they scared: scared that if she remembered her past she may walk out on them? Was she with them in the past? What did this have to do with the Guardians? Thinking about everything made Lizzie's head hurt. Finally, sleep claimed her and she was swept into a dreamless sleep.

*

Wanda stood at the quay, waiting. She could no longer live in doubt about the girl. She had to find the truth about her. She saw a shape flying across the water towards her.

'Pietro! Finally!' she waited until her brother had run up the side of the dock before talking again. 'You took your time. What took you so long?' she folded her arms and glared at her brother.

Pietro shrugged. 'I was busy doing work for Father,' he looked over Wanda's shoulder, 'Work that he doesn't know I'm doing actually. So what has Father got for me to do now?'

'It's not Father who needs your help,' Wanda took a sidelong look at Pietro, 'it's me.'

Pietro looked surprised. 'You,' he said, 'need my help?' Wanda nodded. Pietro whistled. 'Does Father know?' he asked. Wanda shook her head. Pietro raised his eyebrows. 'Since when did you start doing things behind Father's back?' Pietro grinned.

Wanda didn't smile. 'Father thinks I'm being ridiculous but I need to know,' she sighed, 'a mutant came to Genosha. She didn't stay for long. When she left, she took a friend of hers with her who had been causing us trouble.' Wanda began to pace the pier nervously. 'I worried that she may have been an X-men spy because she knew about the X-man who was being kept here.' Wanda faced Pietro again. 'I need you to confirm my suspicions.'

'What does that mean?' Pietro asked confused.

'I lost track of her for a while,' Wanda said hesitantly, 'but I managed to discover that the girl I'm curious about left the nearest city and started north, towards the Xavier manor, where the X-men are. I'm worried that if she reaches them, she might give them enough attack force to overcome Genosha. I need you to stop her reaching the X-men and bring her here if you have to. Just find out the truth.'

Pietro blinked. 'You really want this girl, don't you,' he muttered. Wanda didn't say anything. What could she say? I really want the girl here to pester her until she tells me how she knew Kurt. She must be one of the X-men, Wanda told herself, and how else could she know him. Pietro shrugged and turned to go, but then turned back.

'You haven't told me anything else about this girl. What does she look like? What's her name?'

'She's about this tall,' Wanda measured a height against her body, 'she had long brown hair, green eyes, controls the elements and her name… her name is Elisabeth Evens.'

*

The next morning, the boys awoke to find Lizzie cooking breakfast over an open fire. They ate the meat without complaint. They then gathered up their things and left. Lizzie was oddly quiet. The boys decided not to disturb her silence with chatter so they remained silent. This hushed calm was kept through the morning and lunch. By the afternoon, they were all weary.

'Nearly there,' Luke said finally breaking the quiet. They walked into a clearing and on a small hill ahead of them; they saw a huge mansion ahead of them.

'Is that it?' Lizzie asked in awe.

'Must be,' Luke replied. He stepped forward and turned back to grin at the others. 'Come on,' he said and started to walk on. Something flew from the bushes to Luke's right, zoomed across his path and knocked him off his feet. Lizzie whipped round, trying to follow the blur but it moved so quickly. It came at her from behind and shoved her to the ground.

Max faced the tree behind which it had disappeared. 'That's not fair. Come at us normally and then…' It moved and ran at him. Max raised his hands. The cold sensation ran down Lizzie's spin. She looked up. Someone had frozen mid-sprint, aiming for Max. She saw a man dressed in a tight green suit, a silver lightning bolt cut across his chest.

'Recognise him?' Max asked as she stared at him.

Lizzie nodded. 'Quicksilver,' she muttered, 'he leads the Brotherhood.' She stood up and crossed to Quicksilver. 'What's he doing here?' she pondered aloud.

'He's after you,' Luke answered her. Lizzie looked round at him surprised. He had his green telepathic bands surrounding his head and wrists; he had placed two fingers on either temple, a tell-tale sign that he was mindreading.

'What?' Lizzie said astonished.

'Yeah,' Luke said gloomily, 'that's not the worst of it.' He lowered his hands and looked round at the bushes surrounding the clearing, 'he didn't come alone.'


	8. Xavier Manor

They all glanced around nervously. They could see no-one, but that didn't mean that there was no-one there. Max began to sweat under the pressure of keeping time still. Lizzie had to do some quick thinking. Taking down Quicksilver would be easy, but to do that she need time to run again. They also needed to warn the X-men about the Brotherhood. They could easily take on the Brotherhood, but how many of them were needed to do that?

'Release time Max,' Lizzie told him slowly, 'release time and run.'

'Run!' Max glanced at her, 'I'm not running.'

'Run,' Lizzie repeated, 'make sure the way is clear for us. We can take them on, can't we Luke?' Luke grinned and nodded. Max still didn't like the idea of him running. Lizzie rolled her eyes and turned on him. 'Do you think we can't manage on our own? There's nothing wrong with running, Max.'

'That's what you said last time,' Max muttered and received a dark look from Luke. Lizzie knew they were talking about her past again. She fixed herself firmly in Quicksilver's path.

'Get ready to run Max' she commanded and readied herself, 'release time… now!'

With a grunt, Max released time. Quicksilver had just enough time to register that Lizzie was now in front of him when jets of ice froze him. He was left two feet from her. Lizzie rubbed her hands and looked round. Max had disappeared into the trees heading for Xavier manor. Luke had claws out and his eyes were slits.

'Here they come,' he muttered.

There was a distant rumbling and the earth to Lizzie's right ripped apart. Walking down the middle was Avalanche. Luke leapt and soared into the air, his white wings beating gently. Lizzie ducked and rolled into Avalanche's way.

The approaching Avalanche stopped and looked at the girl who was now straightening up. Then he laughed and clenched his fists. The ground shook and spires shot out of the ground; they began to appear around Lizzie. Lizzie remained cool and raised her own hand. The spires stopped. Avalanche's fists became tighter but still the spires refused to move. Lizzie was breathing deeply under the strain. Just as Avalanche raised both fists in the air, ready to slam them into the ground, Lizzie whipped her other hand in a jerky movement and knocked Avalanche off his feet. Avalanche lay in a dazed heap.

Lizzie closed her own hands, slower, and the tree behind Avalanche stood up. Using its roots as feet, it walked across to Avalanche and sat down on top of him, digging its roots deep into the ground.

Someone leapt out of the bushes behind Lizzie. She glanced over her shoulder, saw the guns in the woman's hands and tried to twist out of the way. The guns roared into life. Lizzie hit the ground with a thud. She blinked a few times then looked up.

The bullets remained frozen in midair. Now the guns were slowly softening, prizing themselves out of the woman's fingers. Lizzie looked right. Max stood in the clearing, conjuring the melting metal to swirl and fly towards him where it was reforming into one large metal ball. Max caught it in both hands, seemed to weigh it then popped it in his bag.

'I know, I know, I'm going,' he muttered as Lizzie opened her mouth, 'though,' he continued as he turned to go, 'you do owe me one.'

Lizzie rolled her eyes and flipped herself into a standing position. The woman – whom Lizzie recognised as Domino – was quickly getting over the loss of her guns and was getting into a fighting position. From behind her, Lizzie heard a crunching as the tree sitting on Avalanche was pulled up.

'Luke,' she yelled up at him, 'swap opponents!' Luke, who had been about to dive down to attack Blob (the fat guy pulling the tree off Avalanche), diverted himself mid-dive and aimed at Domino. He landed, rolled and came up to face her. His claws and wings were gone and it looked as if he was ready for a fair one-on-one hand-to-hand combat. Lizzie frowned at Blob, who had just pulled the tree free of Avalanche. She slowly smiled. Flexing her fingers, she focused on the tree.

The tree shifted slightly. Then its roots shot at Blob's chest, wrapped round his arms and legs; it pressed its branches at his face and began to try and scratch every part it could reach – which was quite a lot. Blob flailed and fell over. He began to try and push the tree off him, but it clung on tighter.

By now Avalanche was back on his feet. Lizzie pressed her hands against his chest and pushed out. The air ripped and Avalanche was thrown backwards. Lizzie brought a branch up to her height, caught it and set it alight. She brought her arm back to throw the branch at Avalanche when something slimy, green and gross hit her outstretched arm. Lizzie cried out in disgust and dropped the branch. It rolled and stopped beside the frozen Quicksilver. Lizzie hadn't noticed. She was too busy wiping the gross, green substance off her hand.

Then she heard the laughing. She glared at the dancing Toad in disgust. Toad saw the look, registered it as not a good one and decided that he was correct by the way that Lizzie proceeded to set the disgusting ball of gloop alight. He hurried away as Lizzie lobed it after him.

The ground trembled. Avalanche was up again.

'I am getting fed up of this!' Lizzie snapped crossly and – not caring that it wasn't fair – cased the ground to open up beneath Avalanche, drenched him in freezing water then knocked him cold with a furious blow of air. She watched Blob shove the thoroughly beaten tree off him. Lizzie smiled sadly and lifted the downtrodden tree back to its original position and, with a gently raising of her hands, brought it back to life.

Domino landed beside her, also unconscious. Luke was rubbing his fist when there came a small cracking noise and Quicksilver burst free of his ice prison. Immediately, Lizzie snuffed out the fire.

'I'll take Quicksilver if you take Blob,' Luke whispered. Lizzie glanced at Blob and nodded. But as she made her way towards him, Quicksilver was suddenly upon her. He grabbed her jacket and knocked her to the ground. Lizzie landed with a grunt and Quicksilver bent over her.

'Time to talk,' he muttered. Luke's foot lashed out and Quicksilver wasn't quick enough to see it. Lizzie left them to it. Blob had found Toad and they both were now facing Lizzie. She smiled at Toad sardonically.

'You seem braver now you've got your big friend beside you.' Toad stuck his tongue out and spat the sickening gunk towards Lizzie. She batted it away and back at him. It hit him in the face. As Toad struggled to scrap his own slime off his face, Lizzie froze it solid. It was fairly amusing to watch Toad running around in a panic because he couldn't remove his own frozen slime. Blob moved forward. Lizzie tried to knock him back with wind, but it failed.

"Blob is known for his fatty body which provides him with super strength and his own centre of gravity."

His own centre of gravity, that's what it had said in the newspaper clipping about the brotherhood. So if I can't knock him off his feet, Lizzie thought, how do I defeat him? If I freeze or burying him it will result in him breaking himself free. I can't knock him out. Set him alight…no, Lizzie thought, that's too cruel. But it hadn't stopped her doing it to Visfirmus. That was different, Lizzie thought. Had it been?

Lizzie had been firing air at Blob; instead she lowered her hands and began to mutter. As she muttered, lines began to trace themselves in the earth. Blob stopped at the edge of the lines as the lines completed, joined and formed a large, intricate diamond – about five feet in diameter – with crisscrossing lines joining and forming other shapes: circles, triangles, countless other shapes. Blob paused. What was this? Then Lizzie raised her head.

It was pain, fiery pain. Blob felt it. He felt himself weakening. His gravitational pull lessened. He staggered. He slipped. The air smacked into him. He blacked out.

There was a pause. The diamond slowly disappeared and Lizzie was left standing alone. Toad whimpered and scarpered. Quicksilver was left alone. The rest of the Brotherhood lay around him. Luke tapped him on the shoulder and pressed a claw to his throat.

'Give in now?'

'Luke!' Lizzie voice was sharp as it cut the silence. She glared at him. He lowered his hand.

'What?'

'You don't need to be that…'

Then Quicksilver moved. He attacked quickly, hammering a few quick punches into Luke's stomach, chest and finally kneed him in the groin. Luke grunted and collapsed. Quicksilver turned to Lizzie. Lizzie blinked, mouth open as she realised what she had just done. She silently cursed herself. She stepped back. Quicksilver sped across the clearing and grabbed her top. Lizzie gasped.

'Hello again,' Quicksilver muttered in her ear.

Lizzie opened her mouth to reply but something over Quicksilver caught her eye. She moved to stare over his shoulder. Luke was slowly getting to his feet. His head was the last to go up. His eyes had changed. They weren't chocolate, but gold coloured.

Lizzie swore loudly. Shoving Quicksilver off her, she dived sideways, rolled and stood hiding amongst the trees. Quicksilver had turned to look at what Lizzie had sworn at. By the time he had turned, Luke was upon him. He bore down on Quicksilver, claws digging into his chest, a menacing smile playing around his lips. Lizzie knew he would tear Quicksilver apart easily unless she stepped in. Lizzie coughed and stepped into the light.

'Hello. Been a while since you took over his body. But, if what I learnt from last time is correct, I believe that it's me you really want to kill.' Luke looked up at her voice. The smile slipped and a snarl issued. Lizzie clicked her fingers and Luke's bag, which had been sitting abandoned the other side of the clearing, flew through the air into her open arms.

With that Lizzie twisted round and began to run. Looking back, she saw Luke let go of Quicksilver and go after her. Quickly she sidestepped and vanished into the shadows. Luke galloped past her. She quietly made her way back to the clearing. Quicksilver was still lying sprawled where Luke had dropped him.

Lizzie grabbed the back of his costume. 'You so owe me for this.' He looked round to see her glowering face.

'What has happened…?'

'You've released something trapped in him. That thing wants to kill me. Ask your sister for more details. Assuming you two will still be on speaking terms after you failed to retrieve or kill me.' With that, Lizzie let go and disappeared back into the shadows; leaving Quicksilver staring at nothing.

Lizzie started to run in the direction of the manor. She knew it was an obvious destination but if she could get over the wall, she could get help from the X-men. She noticed a gap between two trees with a shallow gap between the roots. She headed towards it and leapt, using her momentum to carry her over. There was a growl and Luke snatched at her from the gap. Lizzie squealed but she was already back on her feet and running. Luke scrambled out of the crack and rushed after her.

Lizzie looked back into the gloom but all she saw was a slight figure cantering after her. Ahead of her, the trees were thinning and sunlight was filtering through the larger gaps in the branches. Ordering a tree to trip Luke up, Lizzie put on an extra burst of speed and broke through the last of the undergrowth. She stood panting, stitch in her side, in the sudden bright. She looked up and something in her stomach rolled over. She was face to face with a strong stone wall.

Which way was the gate? She scanned the top of the wall in hope of seeing something. Behind her, she heard a deep throaty chuckle.

'Looks like you've reached the end of the line,' the thing like Luke growled, stepping into the light. Lizzie whipped round to face him, slowly backing into the wall. Luke opened his claws really slowly, so Lizzie could hear the blade growing from Luke's fingers. She shivered and reached for the last of her courage.

'If you remember, you cornered me before, I escaped. I can do it again.'

'How? Are you going to fly away? Walk through the wall? You know I could always go after you. And you're tired.' Lizzie forcefully slowed her breathing. Luke put his head to one side and looked her up and down. 'I'm going to enjoy this. Think of it this way. You're best friend is going to kill you. You do have a habit of making enemies don't you. You've made an enemy in me, why, you have even made an enemy of yourself. Why carry on fighting? One of us will get you. At least I will make your death fairly quick.'

Lizzie pushed away the tears in her eyes. She couldn't bear listening to this any more. She wanted to get away. She wanted the ground to swallow her up… that was it! She breathed deeply and raised her face to look Luke straight in the eye. At the same time, she focused on shifting the earth beneath her.

'You better make this quick then,' she whispered. Luke smiled gleefully and flicked his finger-claws.

He lunged. Lizzie hissed at the ground and fell, just as Luke's claws drove into where her neck had just been. He glared down as Lizzie smiled waved and closed the earth back up.

Lizzie was now surrounded by damp earth and darkness. She whispered to her open palm and conjured a fire in the centre of it. She looked around. The walls of her circular tomb were made of moist soil with a few tree roots and insects around her. Lizzie thought for a moment before turning round and causing a tunnel to open in front of her. She walked down it a few paces, trying to remember how thick the wall was. When she decided that this was far enough, she closed up the tunnel and shot upwards. She landed, covered in dirt, about two metres from the wall. Ahead of her was the manor. She had made it.

'I never guessed you'd try a dirty trick like that!' Lizzie twisted round. Luke was crouched on top of the wall, claws resting on his knees, his bat-like wings beating slowly. Lizzie backed away as Luke landed on the ground. She started to run. Luke gave her a few seconds head start then set off after her at cheetah speed. Lizzie could hear him bearing down on her. But she could see the front door.

She flicked her hand. The air rippled gently and set the doorbell off. If she was lucky, they wouldn't open the door on her dead body.

*

Rogue and Logan were just passing the door on their way upstairs when the doorbell went. Rogue smiled.

'As you anticipated, here they are.'

Ever since Jessica had arrived on the back of her dragon, the X-men had been expecting the rest to turn up. Max had turned up that afternoon, muttering something about the Brotherhood and the others stalling them. Then Jessica had dragged him up the stairs to her room so he could lie down. But they knew, where one Guardian goes the others will follow. So the doorbell hardly came as a surprise. Rogue found herself slightly excited by these strange newcomers.

Footsteps alerted them to the fact that other members were coming to welcome the last two Guardians. Rogue hurried to the door. She slide back the latch and took the chain off. Confused, she glanced back at Logan. He hadn't move but had stayed where she had left him. His eyes narrowed and his body tautened.

'Open the door,' he growled at her. Rogue bit her lip but did as he asked.

On the other side of the door, Lizzie sighed in relief. Three feet away from the front door, two, one… she burst through the door, ducked and dived behind it. There she was confronted by an X-man she hadn't met but knew as Rogue. Without explaining, Lizzie threw her weight at the door, yelling, 'Shut it! Shut it, quickly!'

Startled, Rogue looked over at Logan for help. He was yelling too, but seemed to be gesturing at her to open the door, not close it. Rogue tried to push Lizzie away from the door, but to her shock found herself flying backwards as a result of Lizzie's air lash. Lizzie pushed and shoved and managed to shut the door almost to. But then someone, or something, got in the way.

Everyone watched as Luke thrust the door open from the outside. The force made Lizzie toppled backwards. She landed with a grunt. Luke stepped through the door and shut it. Lizzie edged away. Luke kept his back to the X-men whilst keeping an eye on Lizzie. His head snapped round as she slipped from his peripheral vision. But Lizzie was already running.

With a snarl, Luke twirled round and leapt at her. Lizzie screamed as his open claws raked at her ankle. Then, Logan dived into Luke's way. They slashed at one another; Luke desperately trying to get past, Logan doing what he could to keep the younger lad back. Rogue pulled off a glove and reached for Luke. There was a pause before she touched him.

'Don't!' Lizzie shouted from half way up the stairs, 'Don't touch him!' Rogue pulled back on impulse and stared questioningly up at her. Lizzie heaved herself up another step and started rummaging around in her satchel.

'Lizzie?' Lizzie looked up. Kurt had appeared beside her.

'Kurt!' Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief. 'I need help…'

'I noticed,' Kurt nodded down at her leg. Lizzie saw that she was bleeding; the creamy white blood was creeping down her leg and threatening to fall onto the carpet. That was it! Lizzie thought.

Ignoring Kurt's protest, Lizzie grabbed his shoulder and used him to stand upright. As she raised her right hand, her blood stopped falling and floated upwards. Lizzie tried aiming it so that it hit Luke and not Logan, but the fight was so close she couldn't get a good aim.

'Kurt,' she muttered, 'I need you to go into my bag and find a little bottle full of a golden liquid. It's the only thing that will calm Luke…' she stopped as Logan toppled backwards. Rogue gasped as Luke stepped over his body and put his first foot on the step.

'Which is your bag?' Kurt asked. Lizzie looked down, puzzled. Then she remembered that she had picked up Luke's bag too.

'The brown one. The black bag belongs to Luke. But if you can't find the potion in my bag there might be one in Luke's. I gave him a spare.'

'Got ya…' he muttered. Lizzie noticed Cyclops, Frost and Beast standing to one side. She looked at them pleadingly. Confused, Luke followed her gaze. He saw them as Cyclops raised his glasses.

Rogue dived out of the way as Cyclops blasted Luke back. Luke struggled upright after being blasted into the wall. He saw Rogue. He smiled and came towards her. He reached out his hand. She leant back to try and avoid it. Lizzie knew she had to act before the thing in Luke used Rogue's ability to pass through Luke and into Rogue.

'Leave her alone!' Lizzie's shout came shortly before her blood. It splattered into the side of Luke's leering face. He instinctively wiped his tongue round his mouth before he realised what it was. He groaned and buckled. His claws were disappearing. It took a few seconds before Luke was back to the way they remembered him, but his eyes were still the same: gold not brown. Then he turned and grabbed at the banister.

He caught hold of it and swung himself over. He was now only a few steps below Lizzie. She tried to back up the staircase, but misjudged how high the step was and collapsed. Luke smiled and lunged at her.

Lizzie flicked out her hands as Kurt jumped between her and Luke. The wave hit Kurt in the back and sent him flying into Luke, causing both of them to tumble down the steps towards the unconscious Logan.

Lizzie flinched as they landed and slid down to her bag. Her box was out and open. Lizzie wondered why Kurt had not seen the potion. It was at the top of everything else. Lizzie reached in, pulled it out and realised why Kurt had not recognised it. It was empty. There was nothing left, not even a tiny drop.

Groaning, Lizzie pulled Luke's bag towards her and rummaged through it. It wasn't there. This meant he must have it on his person. Lizzie now had a choice: she could either make a fresh batch – which took six months – or she found the bottle Luke had on him and duplicated it. But she couldn't go anywhere near Luke whilst he was like this.

'Kurt!' Lizzie called down the stairs. She started to limp her way down. Her leg was no longer bleeding but she could still feel where Luke clawed at her and it hurt. Kurt pulled himself out of Luke's grasp and vanished. He dematerialised beside Lizzie.

'What's made him become like this?' he asked.

'Long story that I can't really remember at the moment but in short is that he is possessed and the only potion that will put him back under control is currently swinging from his neck, unless someone has broken it,' she added in an undertone. Kurt nodded slowly. After a brief second, he spotted the bottle and leapt down the stairs towards Luke as Cyclops prepared to blast Luke again.

'Get out of the way!' he yelled as Kurt ducked under Luke's outstretched arm and grabbed at a small bottle which hung from Luke's neck on a fine metal chain. Luke grabbed Kurt by the neck and wrenched his hand away. Kurt tried to grab the bottle again, but Luke held it just out of reach.

'Need a hand?' someone asked and Lizzie was relieved when she looked up and saw Max and Jessica making their way down the stairs.

'Yeah, Luke's gone haywire again and is trying to kill me.'

'And what's he doing?' Jessica asked, nodding at Kurt.

'He's trying to get the bottle which that thing in Luke is keeping from him.'

'The potion,' Max said, 'don't you have some?'

Lizzie held up the empty bottle. 'Evidently, he's been at my store.'

'Great,' Max muttered. He raised his hand and clicked his fingers. The metal chain snapped. Luke looked round confused as Kurt slammed his fist into Luke's cheek. Luke dropped the bottle. Lizzie caught it in a whirl of air, shattered the glass and split the potion in half. Half she manoeuvred into the empty bottle (which Jessica held open for her) and the rest she flung into Luke's shocked face. Luke staggered, let go of Kurt, tripped over Logan – who was just coming to – and hit the ground.

There was a short pause as everyone registered what had happened.

Logan dragged himself out from underneath Luke, helped by Kurt. Lizzie, Max and Jessica hurried down the stairs and joined the X-men who were crowding round Luke. Rogue was trying to look after a semi-healed Logan whilst the rest were waiting with baited breath to see what Luke would do next.

Luke groaned. His eyelids parted slightly, just enough for him to see that he was definitely not in the woods any more. 'Where am I?' he murmured wearily.

'You're in the Xavier manor,' Lizzie replied for him. She knelt down beside him and finished, 'and you just tried to kill me… again.'

Luke moaned and closed his eyes. 'This is becoming an unhealthy habit,' he murmured.

'Unhealthy for you or for me?' Lizzie asked cockily. Luke chuckled and allowed Max and Lizzie to help him up. Jessica waited until he was upright before throwing her arms around is neck and drawing him into a tight hug. She gave Lizzie a brief hug afterwards but Lizzie could tell that she was pleased to see Luke than she was to see her.

They were introduced to the X-men that they didn't know. Rogue replaced her glove and shook everyone's hand. Tildie, a young mutant being protected at Xavier manor by the X-men, seemed rather shy when being introduced. But, according to Kurt, she was often like that.

Kurt, it was great to be back with him. Lizzie smiled whilst she lay in bed, rethinking everything that had happened that day. She was pleased that they had been welcomed in with open arms and (although there were some doubts about Luke's sanity) no-one really mistrusted them. Logan had his doubts but according to Rogue, Logan doubted everyone, even himself. It wasn't something that they should take to heart.

Later, after she had cornered him and interrogated him, Luke had admitted to Lizzie that he had taken the rest of the potion from her bag.

'I had no choice. It was either that or going mental again and threatening to kill you,' he said, 'I was going to tell you so you could make some more, but it was your birthday and Jessica went missing then.'

'That's why I gave you your own bottle,' Lizzie countered, 'so you didn't deplete my store and situations like we just had wouldn't happen.'

'Oh… yeah…'

*

Their time at the manor soon settled down into a normal routine. Rarely did anyone know where Logan was, which annoyed them endlessly the first few days as he was always on the move. But that just showed what kind of person he was. Scott spent most of his time in his room, moping about Jean Grey – a telepath that he had fallen in love with and who had recently disappeared, or sticking around Emma Frost, begging her to locate Jean for him.

Forge spent most of his time fixing things or rebuilding the danger room after Logan destroyed it countless times in his training sessions. Max sometimes helped him, which speeded things up for Forge greatly and they started a strange friendship. Often X-men members would come across them in Forge's labs discussing new tricks for the danger room or different ways of improving the Blackbird.

Hank (Beast) was mostly in the library. Lizzie would join him there. Hank appreciated her help and would allow her to take books out to read. As Luke had said before, Lizzie loved to read. She had stacks of books in her bag, but she had read them all before and was looking for something new. She seemed to have a dislike for non-fiction writing, but she could easily find classical fiction novels to take out.

Kitty, Bobby and Kurt were the main kids that they hung around with, Tildie often tagging along. They'd play on the old basketball courts and practice against one another in the danger room. At first, the Guardians hung back, not wanting to hurt anyone. But then Bobby managed to wind Jessica up (pretty impressively) and so she accepted his challenge. She thrashed him... three times... with different monsters each time.

Rogue was the other person Lizzie liked to hang around with. She didn't know what drew her to Rogue, but she like the southerner. Perhaps it was the fact that she seemed like an outsider, but Lizzie felt her draw as close to Rogue as she had to Kurt. But despite her best efforts, she could not learn Rogue's real name.

Sitting around the kitchen table in the late afternoon just less than a fortnight after arriving, Luke brought up the question which started the discussion.

'When are we leaving?' They all stared at him in surprise.

'Do you want to leave?' Jessica asked.

'No…' Luke admitted, 'but I thought we were just regrouping here. I thought we were going to move on and find somewhere to settle. Then we could help those that the X-men can't get to.'

'I thought something like that,' Max agreed, 'but I like it here.'

'We all do,' Lizzie murmured softly.

Luke rubbed his face and sighed. 'We can't stay here though.'

'Why not?'

'We're not X-men.'

'And…?' Luke shrugged. The conversation lapsed into silence for a while.

'I think we need to leave,' Lizzie said quietly.

'Don't you start,' Max cried exasperatedly, 'we don't need to leave. We're fine here!' He crossed his arms defensively. The others raised their eyebrows.

'Max,' Lizzie sighed, 'we are more use to them outside this manor than inside. We are better leaving and moving to the city than staying and getting in the way.'

'Who says we're getting in the way?' Max cried angrily, 'why are you so…?'

'Max, we need to leave. I know we need to leave…'

'How do you know?' Max snapped. Lizzie shut her mouth and refused to say. Max snorted and stormed out of the room. Jessica and Luke were watching her curiously so Lizzie got up and left too.

She couldn't tell them. They'd think she was going mad. Or, what was possibly worse, they would tell her that it was nothing, and then consult one another behind her back. She couldn't help it. She knew they were connected to her past. But there was no way that she could stop the dreams.

*

It was one week after arriving at the Xavier manor that the dreams started. They always started with a mirror. Lizzie would see her own reflection. She would try and see beyond her reflection at what was going on behind her. All she would see was black nothingness. Then her reflection would blink.

When you gaze into a mirror you should never be able to see yourself blink because at that moment, you would have your eyes shut. But her reflection would blink. Then it would smile. That would be alright if she was smiling. But she didn't smile. Not in this dream. It wasn't a nice smile either. It was cold and jeering. That's when her reflection would step out of mirror and the scene would change.

It would change to resemble Genosha. It would look the same way it was when she was there. There was peace there, but it wasn't a comfortable peace. It was best described as the peace before a storm.

But from then on it was nearly always different. Sometimes a storm would gather. There would be thunder and lightning and rain, or hail. The lightning would strike the towers and tall buildings. The rain would cause the river to flood and the sea, whipped up into frenzy by howling wind, would rise and crash over the mutants below.

Other times there would be fire. It would rage and burn and scorch. No-one could put it out. No-one could tame it. There would be mutants throwing themselves into the sea and others would help the weaker down to the boats. But they wouldn't get far. The fire would catch up with them, leaping over the waves like no ordinary fire would do. It would heat up the sea and boil those caught in the swirling waters; chasing after those escaping by boat until they threw themselves into the scolding waters below.

Or there were the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. More burning bodies or drowning mutants. There would always some braving the perils to try and save the dying. The earthquakes would knock them down and bury them beneath tonnes of rock as it battered down the walls of Genosha. The magma would turn the river solid and drive into the sea. It would catch the people fleeing over the waves with its own waves of molten rock.

There were other ways: hurricanes, tornados, floods, even a sandstorm. But always the disaster and devastation it caused was the same. And she was always watching it. High above Genosha, looking down at the stick like people. She would watch their every move and laugh as they fell, fleeing or fighting. Either way they died. Help would arrive far too late. The X-men it was mostly; though sometime the Brotherhood, with Magneto as their leader. They would scurry across Genosha, pulling the few survivors to what they thought was safety. But nowhere was safe.

Down would come the lightning, burning the plane to smouldering ash, the screams of those inside would ring in her ears. Or it would be washed away by a mighty wave, either water or lava. Or crushed far underground as the earth opened up. Burn, crush, death to all those who tried to stop it.

It was an unstoppable, uncontrollable disaster. Uncontrolled to anyone, except her. And this was the thing that frightened Lizzie the most. It wasn't that she was probably seeing the end of Genosha. It wasn't that it kept changing, because she knew the concept was the same. It was the end of Genosha and she was the one causing it.


	9. Dreams

Lizzie was once again curled up in her favourite chair by the fire, the book open in her lap and her eyes drifting across the page, reading the same sentence over and over again. She had had the dream again that night. It was becoming such a regular occurrence that she was often seeing the images of destruction and death during the day. Reading took her mind off it usually, but not today.

Kurt and Logan had set off for Genosha that morning. Logan planned on using Kurt's influence over Wanda to get her to act against a mutant who was coming to Genosha to steal Magneto's helmet for Senator Kelly.

'To steal his helmet,' Lizzie had repeated when Kurt had told her why he was going. 'That is really lame of Kelly. That sounds like an amateur author's plot.' Kurt shrugged.

That didn't stop him from going. Had Lizzie imagined it, or had Kurt been slightly excited by the prospect of returning to Genosha? Had he forgotten that it was because of the Scarlet Witch and her father that he had been trapped in a metal ball for weeks? Or was he letting his feelings for Wanda override his past experiences of Genosha?

Lizzie had heard from Logan about how Kurt had begged Wanda to return with him to Xavier manor. Logan had used this to prove that Kurt was ideal for this task of sniffing out the to-be-criminal in Kelly's pay. Lizzie slammed the book she was meant to be reading shut. She had to agree that Kurt was probably the most suited to sneak around Genosha and hunt for this thief. But she didn't like the idea of him and Wanda…

Lizzie stroked the spine of the book, trying to calm herself. Was this jealousy she was feeling? Was she jealous that Wanda may have Kurt's attention in certain ways? Did she really think that she could be a more suitable partner for Kurt?

That thought made her shudder and stop. She had never considered the feeling she harboured for Kurt in that way. She had seen him as a friend, the first friend she can remember having. When they first met, she had considered him the path to a new life, a life – possibly – with him and the X-men. Those thoughts had been shattered quickly.

If they hadn't been separated, would Logan still be choosing Kurt for this task? Probably, Lizzie thought grumpily, but most likely not for the same reasons. Was it potential that if they had not been separated, Kurt might be feeling the same way towards Lizzie as he may do now for Wanda?

Stop thinking like that, Lizzie told herself. The past is the past. Get over what could have been and focus on what is happening. She sighed, got up, slid the book back into its position on the shelf and left the library. Hank greeted her as she exited. She returned the greeting half-heartedly and made her way to the room she was sharing with Jessica. To her relief, Jessica wasn't there.

Lizzie sank down onto her bed, her mind still buzzing with her thoughts about Kurt and Wanda. Once again, visions from her regular nightmare flashed before her eyes. Should I have told Kurt about that? Lizzie wondered. Should I have told him to explain to the Scarlet Witch that she was foreseeing the end of Genosha? But what should he have said? My friend would like me to tell you that you should not let her, or anyone who looks like her, into Genosha because they may end up destroying it? That sounded ridiculous.

Lizzie stared gloomily out of the window. From her room she had a pretty view of the cliff and sea. From where she sat, she could just make out Bobby and Kitty having a walk along the cliff. A happy couple, Lizzie thought and sank lower into depression. It didn't help that at that moment Jessica bounded into the room.

'Hey,' she called excitedly.

'Hey,' Lizzie replied sullenly.

Jessica paused. 'What's up?'

Lizzie glanced up. 'The ceiling,' she suggested.

'Very funny,' Jessica said sarcastically, 'I mean it, what's the matter?' She dumped her satchel on her bed – the one nearest the door – and began searching through it.

'Nothing, I'm just not feeling well.'

'Quite a lot of people aren't at the moment,' Jessica said, unaware that that wasn't comforting Lizzie, 'Logan's reported in that Gambit is most probably the mutant involved in Kelly's scheme, which has made this whole mission extra nerve-racking as Logan reports that Gambit is not going to leave with just Magneto's helmet. They've had past experiences with Gambit, you see.'

'What does he think he's going to do?' Lizzie asked grouchily, 'blow up Genosha or something.'

'Something like that,' Jessica said, fishing out her dragon's fang and stowing her bag under her bed, 'apparently Gambit has this thing about explosives.'

'Whatever,' Lizzie mumbled. Jessica paused in the act of leaving.

'Are you sure you're alright?' she asked, stepping closer to Lizzie.

'I told you,' Lizzie said, glancing round, 'I'm not feeling well.'

'Ah! Worried about Kurt are you?' Jessica asked mockingly.

Lizzie glared murderously at her. 'No,' she snapped, 'he quite capable of looking after himself. It's… something else…' Lizzie broke off, wondering if she should tell her. Jessica shrugged.

'Well, if you feel like you need to tell me something, you know where I am,' she told Lizzie and departed.

Once she had gone, Lizzie sighed with relief. She hated it when others tried probing her for feelings. It was bad enough having Luke, who could register how someone was feeling in an instant, but now Jessica was doing it too. Lizzie curled up on the bed, rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes. She needed some peace and quiet so she could relax and sleep. With everyone downstairs listening to Logan's reports, now was almost certainly the best moment.

*

'Lizzie, you're late! You just missed Logan reporting back,' Luke called as Lizzie entered the kitchen.

'Oh, how disappointing,' Lizzie said, with the tone of voice which meant that she didn't give one about the reports, 'and how is our strong leader and the little blue elf?'

'Logan just stayed on the Blackbird so he's fine,' Luke shrugged, 'Kurt has been snooping round and Gambit seems like he's defiantly up to something. Not been caught yet,' he added, watching Lizzie.

'Of course,' Lizzie replied calmly, boiling the kettle and getting the hot chocolate power out of the cupboard, 'he's used to doing things like this. He should be a natural at it.' She looked up to see Luke observing her. 'What?' she asked, 'what is it?'

'Nothing,' Luke said smiling, 'it's just, you've known him for… how long?'

'Nearly nine years,' Lizzie replied slowly, 'but there was a good eight year gap between my first meeting with him and my second meeting with him…'

'Both times, you ended up saving his life,' Luke continued after Lizzie finished, 'in fact, all three meetings with him, you've saved his life and seemed to remained friendly with him, despite the fact that he hasn't really repaid you yet…'

'What are you getting at?' Lizzie interrupted angrily, turning to face Luke. Behind her, the water in the kettle's temperature rose.

'Do you think that you would make a good couple?' Luke couldn't help grinning at the bemused anger that flashed across Lizzie's face.

'You've been talking with Jessica, haven't you?' Lizzie asked suspiciously.

'No,' Luke said surprised, his grin momentarily vanishing, 'why?' the grin was back, 'does she suspect you too?' The temperature of the kettle was now above water's boiling point.

'You could say that,' Lizzie snapped, 'just because I'm friends with him does not mean I have to think that we could be an item.'

'So you don't even think about it?' Luke enquired, putting his head to one side.

Lizzie opened her mouth to retort but stopped to think about the question. Finally she said, 'that's a trick question, isn't it?'

'How is it?' asked Luke innocently.

'If I say that I don't think about it, you're going to have a go about why not and that I must have. If I say that I do think about it, you're going to ask about why I haven't told him yet. I'm deciding that I'm not going to answer on the basis that I don't want to dig myself a hole, not because I have anything to hide.'

'So you do have something to hide,' Luke prompted cheekily.

'Luke,' Lizzie growled, her temper snapping. 'I…'

'Lizzie! Watch the kettle!' Luke cried as the temperature inside the kettle caused it to burst open and spray volumes of boiling water around the kitchen. Lizzie flung her arms up and shielded herself from the scolding rain. Luke dived beneath the table to avoid it.

'What's going on?' asked Storm as she entered, Hank following her. They gazed around the wet kitchen, at Luke, who was sliding back out from under the table and at Lizzie who slammed her mug down in frustration and stormed out of the room. Their gaze moved back to Luke.

'Forge needs to fix the kettle,' was all he said and hurried away to fetch a mop.

*

The report from Logan came late in the night:

"Gambit's failed attempt to steal Magneto's helmet has caused the latter to fly into a towering rage. He's planning to visit Kelly, now! You must stop him before Kelly gets hurt. Use Rogue to put them under control and bring them to the manor. Don't ask questions. It's time Charles showed them where their future is going."

Everyone went into action: preparing the chopper, changing, all except Lizzie. Instead she departed for bed early.

'Boy, she really must not feel well,' Jessica muttered to Luke as they helped find the spare helicopter fuel. Luke frowned guiltily and hoped that Lizzie was just feeling ill, not under pressure because of him. Max strode in and rolled his eyes at the pair of them.

'You're searching in the wrong area,' he instructed them, 'chopper fuel is the other side of the…'

'Forge is over there,' Jessica cut across him, 'and he says he can't find any!'

'I have now,' an embarrassed Forge admitted as he heaved the heavy cylinder into view, 'it was buried under a load of…'

'Forge,' Max said exasperatedly, 'you put it there this morning.'

'Did I?' Forge asked as Jessica and Luke giggled, 'I don't remember.'

'Evidently,' Max replied, rolling his eyes as Forge started to refill the chopper's empty fuel tank. Rogue and Kitty entered.

'Is it still not ready Forge?' Rogue asked annoyed, 'Logan said we should leave ASAP!'

'He forgot where he put the spare chopper fuel,' Max told her. Forge, if possible, went a deeper shade of red.

Finally, they were ready to leave. As they lifted up into the dark sky above, Luke and Jessica felt that chilly, tingling sensation which told them that Max had frozen time. They watched the chopper fly away and gazed around, amused, at the frozen X-men waving goodbye.

'Come on,' Jessica whispered, 'let's really freak them out and disappear too.' Luke rolled his eyes and shook his head, but followed Jessica anyway.

They weren't the only ones moving though. Lizzie had recognised the cold feeling and had got up to watch the helicopter fly off. Afterwards, she gazed out over the serene blue sea, until footsteps in the hall outside the door forewarned her of Jessica's approach. She dived back into bed, closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She heard the door open, heard Jessica bidding someone goodnight and heard it shut again.

'Lizzie?' Jessica asked gently. Lizzie sighed sleepily and focused on making her breathing slow and steady. Jessica shrugged and headed for the bathroom. Lizzie heard her wash, brush her teeth, change and come back in. She hadn't moved. Jessica paused and drew the curtains. She watched Lizzie for a second as if searching for faults in her performance. Then she sighed and walked round Lizzie's bed to clamber into her own. She waited until Jessica's breathing had become regular, and then she rolled over and opened her eyes. Making sure she kept her breathing slow and steady, she began to listen out for the sound of the chopper or jet.

*

'I never realised from his posters that Magneto was so… big!' Max muttered as he helped Rogue heave the older mutant into the chopper. Kitty was already settling Kelly down and strapping him in. Hank was at the choppers controls.

'Don't want to rush you,' Hank called, 'but members of the MRD are on their way.'

'I'm surprised that there aren't more here,' Max said to Rogue as she climbed in after finally succeeding in shoving Magneto in.

'Oh, there were,' Rogue informed him, 'but we took care of them. My head's still buzzing with them.'

'You shouldn't be absorbing so many people, Rogue,' Hank told her crossly as Max (with Kitty's help) stowed Magneto along side his enemy, 'it's not good for you…'

'Hank,' Rogue snapped back, 'what can go wrong? I'm far off being overwhelmed by voices in my head.' She shook her head and strapped herself into the spare pilot seat.

'Everyone secured in back there,' Hank called down the chopper.

'Yeah,' Max and Kitty called back.

'Let's go back then,' Hank muttered as he started up the engine. The flashing lights round the corner told them that the MRD had arrived. Worse still, they had their own helicopter petrol.

'Max, we could do with a hand,' Rogue yelled.

'I'm on it,' Max shouted above the roar of the chopper as it started up. He focused, shutting out all noise, until only one noise remained: the noise of their chopper flying home.

*

Lizzie didn't remember hearing the jet and chopper return. The only thing she remembered hearing was Max walking down the corridor to his room, which he shared with Luke, opposite her own.

I must have drifted off, Lizzie thought. She rolled over but couldn't make out anything apart from Jessica's still figure as she lay in bed. Max was opening his bedroom door, she could hear that. There was a soft murmur as he exchanged greetings with Luke, who must still be awake, and then Max shut the door. They'll explain everything in the morning anyway, Lizzie thought. Not that that helped.

Lizzie groaned softly and turned onto her back. She stared into the gloom until her heavily lids finally closed and she fell asleep again.

Once again, she had the same nightmare. Genosha was on fire again, but it wasn't just fire. There were storm clouds and lightning and although the heavens had opened and the mutants beneath her were being drenched, the fire wasn't going out. The waves smacked at the cliffs and sent rock and mutants tumbling into the pitching waters below.

The rescue came: both the X-men and the Brotherhood. This time, Wanda was there. She was shouting at Magneto for something and he was yelling back something about always coming to Genosha's aid. She could make out the people in the X-men party. Nearly everyone she had met was there, apart from Emma. Lizzie would have spotted Emma Frost as she stuck out like a sore thumb in her white attire. Instead there was dark red haired woman who was moving rubble away with her mind to help the trapped people beneath them. Scott was almost constantly at her side. So was that Jean?

Lizzie watched as Wanda turned her back on her father and hurried away from him to help a family of mutants out of the debris a little way away. Kurt joined her. Together they helped a couple out and directed them to the Blackbird.

_Look at them_, said a voice in Lizzie's head, _happy together aren't they. So why would he have you?_

Another lightning bolt struck the ground not far from Kurt and Wanda. Lizzie watched as Wanda staggered and Kurt leapt forward and caught her before she hurt herself. She smiled as he helped her back up. Anger and jealousy burned in Lizzie.

_Happy,_ the voice continued, _but we can put it right. With one simply movement, we can tear them apart, literally. _The voice laughed and Lizzie looked up to see gradually – as if in slow motion – a massive lightning bolt streak out of the sky. It was heading for them. Lizzie didn't care if Kurt and Wanda were happy. Death wasn't the way to separate them. She reached out to stop the bolt, when someone grabbed her arms. If she didn't reach out, she couldn't stop it. They would die…

'No!' she yelled and tried to twist out of the person's grasp. But they had an iron-like grip and it was all Lizzie could do to look away as the lightning struck. She heard the crash in slow-motion too, but the morning and cries of the survivors rang plainly in her ears. Their curses were knives in her heart as they cursed her. She looked over shoulder at the person behind her and saw herself. Or was it herself?

As realisation about what the beginning of the dream meant dawned on her, Lizzie's reflection smiled evilly. She raised her fist, dark light gathered round it. With a jolt, Lizzie realised that it was aimed at her.

'No!' she cried out again and wrenched her arm from the reflections hold. She felt the hands leave her, but too late. The pulsing darkness hit her in the chest as she turned midair and fell. Down, down, down….

'No!' Lizzie gasped and sat bolt upright, her face drenched with cold sweat. To her left and right, Luke and Bobby groaned. Looking round, Lizzie recognised the fact that most of the X-men had gathered round her bed. Bobby and Luke were probably the force holding down her arms. Her eyes darted round the cluster of people round her bed.

'Oh,' she said simply. She looked to her immediate right and saw Kurt peering at her. 'Kurt,' she exclaimed brightly, 'you're back! When did you arrive back?'

'Last night,' Kurt said, but he didn't smile.

'Last _night_?' Lizzie repeated, 'but…' then she noticed the sunlight streaming through the window and she closed her mouth with a soft 'oh!'

'Lizzie,' Jessica asked worriedly. Lizzie turned to her, 'are you alright?'

'How can you ask that?' Kitty snapped, 'you saw her. How many people thrash about in their sleep _that_ wildly? Didn't you see what she managed to do to Bobby and Luke? She managed to throw them right off her! And you ask whether she's alright. '

'Must have been a very… powerful nightmare… if it managed to affect Lizzie as badly as it did,' Luke muttered, rubbing his arm where he had collided with Jessica's bed after passing straight through Kitty.

'You could say that,' Lizzie muttered.

'Is this what's been troubling you for the last few days?' Max asked, 'why you went to bed early yesterday?'

'This… and other things,' Lizzie said. She glanced at Luke when she spoke, but the glance was so brief that very few saw it. Luke shifted uncomfortably and looked away.

'Come off it,' someone growled. The group to Lizzie's left moved slightly so Lizzie could see Logan standing in the doorway. He wasn't looking happy. 'It was probably a common regular nightmare, wasn't it?'

Lizzie frowned as everyone looked back at her. 'It has been coming to me frequently…' she muttered.

'See,' Logan interrupted, 'a common…'

'So I'm not the only one who sees Genosha's destruction in my sleep?' Lizzie said. It was like she had flicked a switch. The atmosphere changed from light-hearted amusement to intense concentration. Everyone's attention was focused on Lizzie. Logan moved away from the door to stand at the foot of Lizzie's bed.

'What did you say kid?' he asked sharply.

'Nothing of interest to you,' Lizzie said and pretended to glance away with an not-bothered look. Logan growled in frustration. Lizzie looked round at him. 'If my nightmare is as common as you believe then perhaps you already know how Genosha is going to be destroyed.'

'According to the Professor, it will be destroyed by psychic flames, possibly the phoenix flames, in a few…' Rogue started, but Lizzie raised a hand to silence her.

'You see,' she said slowly, 'that's not how I saw it. I did see flames, but they weren't like the ones the Professor describes. They seemed normal, except from the fact that they wouldn't go out, even though it was raining. There was lightning too and torrential rain and… you were there.' She paused to look round at them all, at their now shock faces. 'Yes,' she continued, 'you were helping the remaining residents out of safety. The Brotherhood were there too. Magneto was leading them and he seemed to argue with… Wanda.'

Lizzie buried her head in her hands as if trying to remember what happened next. She focused on not crying. They didn't see what she saw so she could twist the truth…

'You began to help those trapped to safety. I could see everyone, except… except you, Emma,' Lizzie looked up at Frost. Everyone looked round at her. Logan growled something like, 'run off on us probably…'

'Replaced more likely,' Lizzie glared at him. She knew he had a dislike of Frost, she had to contradict him, 'replaced…' she turned to look at Scott, 'by Jean Grey.'

There was a collective intake of breath from everyone gathered round the bed who knew who Jean Grey was. Scott muttered, 'how did you know…?'

'That it was Jean?' Lizzie finished for him. She laughed softly, 'the amount of times you talk about her Scott. Besides, there's a picture on the old team on one of the corridor walls. I saw her in that and could recognise her in my dream. There was the fact that you barely left her side throughout…' Other members chuckled softly. Scott frowned harder. Lizzie smiled at him and rested back on her pillows.

'As much as I can remember, people were dying… then…' she sniffed, 'the lightning struck. It struck…' she couldn't finish. She wiped away the tears that were starting to gather and hurried to finish. 'I could hear you. You were crying over those who had just died and as much as I wanted to help, I couldn't. Someone was holding me back, but I think I felt that because Luke and Bobby were holding me down at that point.

'I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Someone will try and destroy Genosha but I didn't see if they succeeded or not,' Lizzie took a deep breath and stopped. She didn't know whether to go on or not. But in the end, she didn't decide. Believing that she had come to the end, Hank ushered everybody from the room stating that Lizzie needed rest. He did, however, let Luke, Jessica and Max stay behind. As soon as they were out of the door, Lizzie sighed and collapsed back against the pillows.

'I feel so worn out,' she muttered.

'You were using a fair amount of power,' Luke explained, sitting on Jessica's bed, 'it was like you were trying to set the house alight. It was all we could do to restrain you.' He grinned, but Lizzie didn't grin back. She was staring at the ceiling and frowning.

Jessica joined Luke on her bed. She watched Lizzie for a while before asking, 'did you describe everything that happened in your dream to us?'

Lizzie sat up, startled. She stared at Jessica. 'No…'

'I only know because you've had dreams like this before,' she smiled, 'you won't remember. Are you planning to explain to us everything?'

Lizzie told them, apart from who the lightning hit. She hated the idea of admitting that she did dislike the idea of Kurt and Wanda, but that wasn't relevant to the dream, in her opinion. When she had finished, the others stared at her in shock and, she noticed with a sickening jolt, fear.

'Do you understand it?' she asked.

Max glanced at the other two before answering. 'Lizzie,' he said, sighing, 'I suppose it's time we told you.' Luke and Jessica glared at him with a "what-are-you-doing" look. Max ignored them.

'I'm going to tell you something that happened between you and me,' he started and was relieved that Luke and Jessica's faces softened, 'something that caused you to start predicting things.'

'I am not sure how to explain it, but basically, we got ourselves into a situation and weren't sure how to get out of it. You and I were trapped and I was too weak to stop time. So you absorbed my ability.'

'We can do that?' Lizzie interrupted.

Luke explained, 'part of being a Guardian means that we can combine our abilities; it gives ourselves an advantage in certain situations. The disadvantages are, though, that we are weakened when we return to our normal state and we have to stay within contact of each other otherwise we become split (un-combined) – still retaining the others ability (in a weaker form) and our own. Because you have two abilities in you, the other Guardian's ability stops us from fully using our own. We are unable to full use the other Guardians ability so we are left weaker. Depending on who you combine with, you get a range of different abilities.'

'I get that… sort of…' Lizzie muttered.

Max continued, 'anyway, I was weakened because I had been using my time gift often. You stepped in and absorbed my gift off me. Absorbing is like combining but if the other Guardian is too weak to co-operate you can temperately absorb their gift so that you can get them to safety. You absorbed my gift and fought off those closing in on us. You then led me to shelter. However, I was still too weak to take my gift back so you ended up going to sleep still with my gift absorbed.  
'That night you foresaw an event and in the morning, you told me about it. I thought nothing of it and took my gift back. Later on, we met up with Luke and Jessica – from whom we had got separated – and we carried on for a while. But what you saw came true. The bit at the beginning of your dream last night was part of the dream you had that night.  
'You forecast something with your ability which was against us. You saw how it came to be. That thing almost killed you. Ever since, it has hated you. It almost took your life again, shortly before you lost your memory. You had another dream round about then which forewarned us and so you managed to survive. You foresee events because part of my gift didn't leave you after that night. You can prophecy when you will next meet that enemy of yours. You… share a connection with them…'

'They came from my reflection,' Lizzie muttered, 'of course I'll share a connection with them.' she looked Max straight in the eye and asked, 'who is she?'

Max glanced at Luke questioningly, but didn't reply. Jessica did instead.

'We call her Eizel,' she said. That name sparked the memory of Luke and Max talking in the clearing three weeks ago. Another memory was brought to light by Jessica's explanation: Luke – possessed and hunting her – sitting on top of the manor wall, calling to her: _You do have a habit of making enemies don't you. You've made an enemy in me, why, you have even made an enemy of yourself._ He hadn't meant her; he had meant Eizel.  
Lizzie kept her eyes fixed on Jessica as she, ignoring Luke and Max's angry glares, continued, 'Eizel was created accidentally and sees you as the force she has to overcome. She is part of you, part of your reflection. She was conjured to destroy us by any means necessary. We can tell you two apart, even if others cannot. She is Eizel: your shadow form.'

*

The sun was setting. Its final rays were turning the sky a deep orange and crimson; when reflected in the water of the sea, it looked beautiful. Lizzie had strolled down to the cliff to watch it set and, after a while, Kurt had joined her. They sat in silence watching the sun set, their thoughts else where. Finally, Kurt broke the silence.

'I still don't see why you hav to go.'

Lizzie sighed. 'I know you don't, but we can't stay here any longer. We have no reason to.' Her mind drifted back to the four packed bags collected in her room. They had already packed and planned to set off at dawn.

Kurt looked hurt. 'Don't I count as a reason.'

'Kurt,' Lizzie said, shocked, 'you are a reason that I want to stay behind. But we...' She couldn't make up anything so stopped and looked away.

There was an awkward pause.

'Lizzie,' Kurt murmured at last, 'before you go... I...' Lizzie felt his hand cup her face and turn it towards him. 'I would like...' he said and leaned in. Lizzie realised that she was leaning in too. She brought her hand up and pulled Kurt's hand sharply away. Kurt started back in surprise.

'No, Kurt,' Lizzie told him firmly, 'what about Wanda?' Kurt refused to meet her eye as he slipped his hand from her grasp. She watched him for a moment but as he seemed to no longer be interested, she got up to go.

Kurt looked up, confused. 'Where are you going?' he asked.

'To pack,' she called behind her as she set off back towards the manor.

'I thought you already had,' Kurt said.

Lizzie snorted and turned round. 'I wasn't going to waste the sunshine was I! I didn't want to be stuck indoors searching for objects which are eluding me! But it has to be done.' She smiled and carried on walking away, leaving Kurt sitting beside the edge. The further she went, the bigger her desire to run back. Finally, she reached the doors. She carried on through the doors, up the stairs and into her room. Jessica wasn't there. Lizzie went to the window. She could still see Kurt; he seemed to have remained where he was. In the half-light, Lizzie could see the figure of Kitty making her way down to him.

Lizzie closed the curtains and collapsed back onto her bed. She stared at the ceiling. She knew what Kurt had wanted to do. It just hadn't seemed right. But what if that had been her only chance. That had been the right thing, hadn't it? It wasn't right for a guy to string one girl along only to go for another. She groaned and covered her face. What had she done?


	10. Moving on

Wow! It's taken me ages to write this! Nothing amazing happens... but it does lead nicely onto the next chapter! ;)  
Enjoy!!!  
(And I promise I'll get the next chapter out soon!)

* * *

They rose before dawn. Breakfast was a subdued affaire. Then as the sun rose, they took their last look at the house before climbing onto Tinamont and his sister Frayne, a smaller white dragon with smooth scales and a barbed tail. Lizzie watched as the manor slowly disappeared beneath them. She clung to Jessica tighter and hoped that Kurt wouldn't be too upset when they found their empty rooms and their goodbye note, which lay on Luke's pillow. He had to understand that if she had had to say goodbye, she probably wouldn't have left.

The boys, who were riding Tinamont, kept giving Lizzie sidelong glances; they didn't try and hide their emotion: jealousy. They were jealous that Lizzie got to ride with Jessica. To save arguments, Jessica had said that the boys should ride on one dragon, the girls on the other. Neither of the boys liked this idea and both Jessica and Lizzie knew why (they had discussed the matter plenty of times on the rare occasion they were alone): Luke and Max both had a growing crush on Jessica.

Luke, Jessica said, had made his feelings known to her earlier on. Max had only recently developed his. When asked which she preferred, Jessica had said that she saw good and bad points in both. Luke was the better looked. He looked fitter, he was more suited to match her ability (she conjured mythical beasts and he could copy animalistic characters – so he could communicate with them) but he did sometimes have a rash temper which was a result of having that thing threatening to dominate his usually calm, charming personality.  
Max was obviously a bit more brainy and made up for his lack of muscle with his wit and thoughtful nature. Jessica said that she was torn between to the two because she could see herself with both boys. Lizzie meanwhile was trying to work out what made Jessica attractive. Certainly, there was the fact that she hadn't lost her memory and wasn't going for another guy, but had they not noticed that the other male Guardian liked her?

Lizzie was pulled suddenly from her reveries as Jessica went into an unexpected dive. Lizzie squealed and tightened her grip around Jessica's waist. Jessica gasped as Lizzie clutched at her too tightly. The boys glowered at Lizzie.

'What was that for?' Lizzie shouted at Jessica.

'I did warn you,' Jessica yelled back, 'didn't you hear?'

'No,' Lizzie admitted. Jessica snorted.

'I'll repeat for you then. I said that I'm going to dive so we're less likely to be spotted.'

'Where are we aiming for?'

Jessica contemplated whether to tell or not. She decided that she'd be safer if she told. 'There's a bus that runs into the city from a farm. The farm runs a car park for people who are only visiting for the day and want to park their car somewhere inexpensive. Local townspeople started catching the bus too. It's relatively cheap so anyone can catch it.'

Just as suddenly as she had dived, Jessica soared upward. Lizzie squeaked and clung on again. Jessica grinned over her shoulder, nudged Frayne into taking a hairpin bend to the left and swooped low over trees. She glanced back to watch the boys copy. Slowly she guided Frayne to descend through the trees and land in a clearing. The boys landed beside them.

Jessica dismounted and signalled to the others to follow her. When they all had their feet on solid ground, she raised her arms. In a swirl of bright orange light, the dragons vanished. The boys slipped on their wristbands whilst the girls clipped in their earrings. Then they set off towards the motorway.

'I hate walking,' Max declared an hour later, 'couldn't we have landed nearer the motorway? Then we wouldn't have had to walk as far!'

'Oh yes, and two monster reptiles landing beside the motorway wouldn't attract any attention what-so-ever!' Jessica exclaimed sarcastically, 'I suppose they think it normal that extinct mythical creatures should land so close to them. They may suppose that they have the personalities of bunny rabbits and won't run off screaming or call the MRD. I'm so sorry Max! If I have realised that humans were like that, despite my previous experiences, I defiantly would have landed us next to the motorway. In fact, I would have even flown into the city, if I thought that we wouldn't have the MRD called on us!!'

'That was sarcasm, wasn't it?' Max said.

'No,' Jessica retorted sardonically and marched ahead. Luke smiled slightly.

Lizzie raised her eyebrows. 'And I thought I was bad in the mornings!'

'Suppose she didn't sleep well,' Luke murmured.

Lizzie stared at him. 'I share a room with her, I heard her sleep well!'

Luke shook his head. 'Jess has spent too many years with dragons; their abilities have rubbed off on her.'

Lizzie cocked her head at him, 'expand please.'

Luke sighed. 'Dragons have an ability to be awake whilst pretending to sleep. This helps them catch their prey. A band of travellers who stumble across a "sleeping" dragons cavern, a few small creature that have accidentally gotten lost in the cave depths, a sneaky burglar after treasure: any of these, anyone with brains, would prefer to approach a sleeping dragon rather than one that is wide awake. As it pretends to be asleep, it lulls them into a false sense of security until… it pounces.' Luke made a sharp clapping mode with his hands. Lizzie jumped. Max ignored him. Jessica didn't react, whether she could hear or not. Luke grinned at Lizzie and lifted his hand into the air, pretending to hold a struggling victim. He placed the tips of his fingers in his mouth and sucked. His fingers came out, wet and empty. Luke kissed his finger tips and finished, 'they wouldn't know what hit them until it was far too late!'

Lizzie walked awhile in silence. 'Don't see how this refers to Jess.'

'Jess has learnt to sleep whilst staying awake,' Luke said, 'she probably didn't want to disturb you so made out she was asleep so you might drop off.'

'She waited a long time then,' Lizzie muttered thinking back to her restless tossing and turning before she finally settled down.

Jessica's voice drifted back from ahead, 'now you know why I'm so tired!'

A silence settled over the group. Finally they could hear cars in the distance. Jessica slowed her pace until she fell in line with the others. They emerged from the woods the wrong side of a tall fence. On the other side were rows and rows of cars: family vehicles, land rovers, vans, even a few estate cars mostly associated with businessmen. Across the car park was a crowd of people standing around a scarcely sheltered bus stop. There was a strange buzzing in the air.

'We're on the wrong side,' Jessica pointed out, which didn't help anyone. Luke strolled until he was almost touching the fence. Lizzie wasn't listening. She was trying to remember what that buzzing sound was.

'We could climb it,' he said and raised his hand to start to climb. Lizzie remembered. She leapt forward.

'Don't!' the sudden shout startled Luke. He turned to see Max and Lizzie standing right behind him, panic obvious on their faces.

'Why?'

'It's electric,' they said simultaneously, then looked at one another. Deciding that having both Lizzie and Max confirm this that it must be very serious, Luke stepped back. Max studied the wire netting of the fence.

'I could break this and form an arch,' he started, 'but it can't be too big, nor can we touch the sides. I can't stop the electricity flow without short-circuiting the entire system and that will just draw attention to us.'

'Well what ever you decide, make a decision quick,' Lizzie interrupted, 'because I think that's the bus coming.' She pointed to a smallish white bus that was trundling down a dusty road towards the car park. The crowd at the bus shelter were already starting to swarm towards it.

Max frowned. He looked between the fence and the bus before turning to Lizzie. 'Learnt how to mould metal yet?' he asked.

It was Lizzie's turn to frown. 'Not really,' she admitted, 'unless I melt the metal first it doesn't obey me. Even in a liquid form it still doesn't really do what I want it to. Besides it takes me ages for me to get to temperatures I need to in order for it to melt and I don't have that time.'

'Come stand beside me,' Max ordered. Lizzie moved so she stood next to him. Max took her hand. Lizzie went to pull it away in bewilderment, but Max gripped her fingers tighter.

'What are you…?'

'Just focus,' Max said sharply 'I'm going to bide you time. You're going to create the gate and help us through. Don't worry; I'll help.' Lizzie turned back to the fence. She felt the same shiver that she usually did when time stopped. She glanced towards the bus and the people. They had frozen mid stride. The buzzing noise stopped. Lizzie had an odd feeling that she was helping Max stop time.

'Heat them up,' Max directed her. Lizzie stretched forwards and placed her fingertips gently on the wiring of the fence. Apart from a slight tingle, she felt nothing. She focused. She imagined the metal; she pictured it as a colour, slowly turning from a pale blue to a scorching red. Slowly, the wires began to glow; they began as red hot, gradually turning white hot.

'Good,' Max said, 'now, direct them to move, break apart. Tell them what to form. Remember this arch has to be tall enough and wide enough for us to get through without touching the edge, but also without us getting noticed.' Lizzie was already at work. At the bottom of the fence, the wires were shifting. They began to break apart and regroup forming a square arch, about two feet each way. Lizzie glanced at Max to check this with him. He shrugged, nodded and let go of her hand. Time restarted. Lizzie felt considerably drained after that.

'Who's going first?' Luke asked.

'I will,' Lizzie volunteered. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled through. On the other side, she stood up and brushed the dust off her. It came off without complaint. Luke followed her through, Jessica was after him and Max brought up the rear, closing the arch after he was through. Then they raced for the bus.

They arrived just as it began to pull out. The bus driver reluctantly stopped and let them on when they dashed towards it. He stopped muttering under his breath once Jessica had paid him. They found seats at the back where few people could stare. Jessica dropped off to sleep once the bus started moving again and Lizzie didn't hear Luke complain once when Jessica started using him as a pillow. Max, however, wasn't so pleased about the seating arrangement. He started muttering to himself so Lizzie decided to distract him.

'I'm guessing that we just shared energy?' she asked. Max tore his eyes away from Luke, who was lovingly pushing some hair back from Jessica's face, and looked round at the speaker.

'Yeah,' he said simply.

Lizzie pressed him for conversation. 'It felt weird. Is that what absorbing feels like?'

Max shrugged. 'I don't know; I've never been forced to do it.'

Lizzie looked surprised. 'You haven't?'

'Absorbing is a last resort,' Max said sullenly, glaring at the back of Luke's head, 'I think you're the only one who's done it.' He fell silent.

Lizzie eyed him sulkily before leaning against the window and staring at the passing cars on the opposite side of the road. 'Yeah,' she whispered to herself, 'and the only one who's lost her memory.'

*

The two blondes giggled as they walked down the ally. They were heading away from their favourite night club after partying with their friends. It was their birthday. These two were twins. One fingered the curly lock of hair which always refused to go into any kind of hair style, whether she tried ponytails, plaits, buns whatever she did, the hair would always sidle out and lie annoyingly, in front of her left eye. She tucked it behind her ear.

Her sister tightened her grip on her sister's arm as they turned the corner, out of sight of the club. She was younger and did almost everything her sister did. Her sister had decided that, for a birthday dare, she would take the direct route back to their apartment. This meant going through all the little twisty ally ways. The younger one was almost certain that they would run into someone.

'Please, sis,' she begged, 'let's go back. Call the whole thing off. Please, I don't want to do this.'

'Fine,' her sister said, unhooking her arm and tugging it out of her sister's grip, 'I'll do this alone.'

The younger one glanced back over her shoulder before she gave in and ran after her sister. 'You know I'd stay by you through anything.'

Her older sister flashed a smile at her, 'I know sis. But at some point you'll have to grow up and do things without me. I can't stay with you forever.'

The younger sister's eyes widened. 'You don't mean…'

The older one rolled her eyes. 'Why do you think of death every time it could be a possibility?'

The younger sister paused, 'because I had a near-death experience when I was younger?'

'I had that too. So did Mom and Dad. We don't mention death at every opportunity.'

'That's because you're stronger than me,' the younger sister looked up at her elder adoringly. The older sister smiled a smug smile and slowed her step.

'Possibly. Possibly…'

A hair-raising cackle stopped them in their tracks. They stopped. From out of the shadows ahead of them, a man stepped out. He was tall, lean, dressed like a biker and balancing a metal discus on his finger tips. He was still chortling.

'Hear that lads? I think we've found ourselves a toughie,' he giggled nastily, 'let's see how toughie deals with us, eh? Whilst keeping little sis safe of course.' From behind bins and dropping from ladders, a group of people formed. There were only four of them, but they looked formidable, decked out in leather and complete with chains and dirty faces.

The younger sister plucked up some courage. 'I'm not much younger,' she said, 'we're the same age, actually. Twins.'

'I do know what people born from the same mother are known as, thank you.' The man, whom the girls assumed was the leader, growled. He sneered at them and glanced round at his gang. 'Let's show these ladies how we treat strangers.'

'I'd prefer it, and I'm sure the girls would prefer it, if you didn't,' someone said. The leader whipped round as a very good looking lad stepped out from the shadows. 'I suppose you like to pick on weak characters such as girls for fun, hmm?'

Someone from the other side of the gang yelled, 'are you suggesting that all girls are weak, Luke?' Luke scowled at the two girls who were standing side-by-side, arms folded, glaring at the boy. Luke smiled quirkily and said cheerfully, 'you know I exclude you from that weak girls section.'

The girl on the left leaned to one side slightly and said, 'exclude all female mutants and I might forgive you…'

'Alright,' Luke growled. The leader pondered this.

'I don't know,' he said slowly, 'I've groped a few female mutants before. They didn't put up much of a fight.'

'When the odds are five against one, I'm not surprised,' the girl on the right said. The twin girls looked at each other. That voice sounded familiar to them. The leader growled again and he wasn't the only one to react the girl's voice. One of his companions looked round too, recognised the girl and snarled.

'You!'

The girl looked surprised. 'Me?' she asked.

The man snarled again. He was a big bloke, ugly, with a squashed nose which had defiantly been broken twice before being squashed back into his face. He cricked his neck and roared. 'You killed my brother! You killed Visfirmus. You die now.'

'Oh! You're related to him!' the girl said smiling, 'my, I do seem to be bumping into your family a lot and I've put your cousin in prison twice now haven't I?' she paused as if studying the man, 'yes, I can see the resemblance now. You're just as ugly as him.' The man roared and charged, like a bull, towards her. She waited, and then raised her left hand. A brick wall appeared from out of the ground. The man ran straight into it. The wall vanished. The girl leaned over him. His nose had defiantly broken again and he was out cold. 'You've inherited the family brains too,' she mused then straightened up. 'One down,' she continued, 'four to go.'

The other gang members were panicking slightly. Watching their big buddy go down so easily had angered some, frightened others. The leader was absolutely furious. Luke took the opportunity to dodge him and seize each girl by the wrist, dragging them out of the circle of gang members and into the shadows. The leader, realising that his prey was disappearing with a total stranger, spun his disk. It glowed white hot before he caught it lightly in his fingers and shot the disk after Luke. Luke pressed himself and the girls into the shadows as much as possible.

'Max, you can deal with him,' he said. There was a sigh and a skinny, sandy haired boy with glasses stepped out the shadows he had been hiding in. The leader saw him and laughed. He stopped laughing when the white hot disk stopped mid-flight. Max reached forward with one hand and closed it. The disk crumpled into a ball and dropped from the air. It hit the ground with a thud and went out.

The leader's eyes widened and he reached for his chain. He unclipped it and spun it round his head. As he spun it, it blazed white hot. He flicked his wrist and sent the chain spinning towards the boy, keeping one hand firmly on one end. The chain stopped short of the boy and curved away from him. Max clicked his fingers. The chain was wrenched from the leader's grasp and circled off into the air. There was a thud and another metal ball landed beside the first. There was a second thud and the last gang member standing collapsed. The leader spun round.

Before him stood a Cyclops. It was huge, towering above him with its one eye – which was a startling shade of bright blue – blinked down at him. Its body was cracked but this was only to show off the strong stone from which it was made. There was a pause. Then the leader fainted.

Another pause followed this. The Cyclops slowly dissolved into a load of green bubbles. The two girls stood behind it. They were holding hands. They lowered their raised hands and let go of each other. Luke led the twins out of the shadows.

'Impressive,' he admitted, 'very impressive. Different too!'

The girl furthest from them shrugged. 'I had to convince Jess that a dragon wasn't suited for this. It was too big.'

'I could have conjured a small dragon,' the other girl said sulkily. Her friends grinned at one another.

'Excuse me,' the younger twin piped up, looking the last remaining of their saviours to be named, 'what's your name?'

'Daisy,' her sister snapped, 'Don't be rude; we don't need to…' But when she named her younger sister, the nameless girl had gasped and her hand had gone straight to her mouth.

'Poppy and Daisy… Poppy and Daisy Williams?' the twins nodded. The girl struggled for breath before she said, 'it's me… Lizzie.'

'Lizzie,' both twins cried and launched themselves upon their old friend. Lizzie squealed and hugged back. Daisy finally pulled herself free long enough to gasp, 'I knew it! I knew it! I knew you wouldn't run away!'

'Is that what your parents said?' Lizzie asked. Daisy nodded enthusiastically. 'I knew you wouldn't,' she said and buried herself once again into Lizzie's arm.

Lizzie turned to Poppy. 'What are you two doing here?'

'Work experience,' she replied, 'but you don't want to hear about that. We want to hear about you! What happened to you after you… had to go?'

Daisy turned to glare at her sister. 'She didn't have to go. Mom and Dad made her go! Just because she saved out lives. Just because she was different!'

'She's a mutant!' Poppy snapped exasperated.

'That isn't the point! And if she wasn't, she wouldn't have been able to save our lives…'

'If I wasn't I wouldn't even be here!' Lizzie muttered.

'See there is a story about what happened after you left,' Daisy said.

'Tell us, tell us, tell us,' the twins pleaded. Lizzie looked despairingly at her friends. They grinned at her.

'You go ahead,' Luke said, 'shouldn't take use long to do a drop-and-run in front of the MRD again.'

'Are you sure?' Lizzie asked.

'Yeah,' Jessica said, 'sounds like you have so catching up to do. Meet us back at the B&B.'

'Okay,' Lizzie murmured and trudged off, two excited twins in tow.

'You live in a B&B?' Poppy questioned as soon as they rounded a corner.

'Yeah,' Lizzie said.

'Have you always lived there?' Daisy asked.

'No. I used to live with whomever I could. But since I joined those three and we started our little anti-evil group, we haven't found a home. So we're in a B&B for the moment.'

The twins looked at one another. 'We could help you there,' Daisy said.

'What?' Lizzie asked.

'We can find you an apartment.' Poppy expanded, 'A friend of ours bought a flat when he came here to do a degree at the local university. When we originally planned to move here, we were going to move in as he moved out. We bought the flat in advance from him and came down one weekend to look round it.'

'It's spacious,' Daisy chipped in, 'has two bedrooms and is not too far from the university.'

'But it was too far from where we wanted to be,' Poppy continued, 'so we're trying to rent it out. Our parents bought us a different flat nearer to where we wanted to be, but we didn't have the heart to put the place back on the market. Besides, we could have got a bit of money if we had managed to rent the place.'

'So you could live there,' Daisy finished, 'we'll give it to you, free of charge.'

'Well…'Poppy began, but Daisy butt in. 'Free of charge,' she pressed. They glared at one another. Lizzie had listened to this silently. It was an answered prayer.

'Oh guys,' she said softly and flung her arms around their necks, 'that's brilliant!'

When the other Guardians came back from off loading all the biker crew to the MRD, Lizzie came straight out with Poppy and Daisy's offer. After a tour of the flat, which seemed to go alright, the others agreed that the place really would be better than a small B&B which they were spending all their money on. By the end of two weeks, they had moved in and already made themselves at home.

*

Jessica took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. There was a pause then someone opened the door. The woman who opened the door took one look at her cried "Jessica" and threw her arms around her daughter. Jessica hugged her mum and then Mrs Brown let her into the house.

Jessica had wanted to go back since they arrived in the town. The others had all agreed that it was not the best idea to begin with and that once they found accommodations she could. However, apparently B&B's didn't count as proper accommodations. But now they had their own flat, there was not really any other excuse they could give. So Jessica had taken the bus and found herself at the top of the friendly street she associated with home.

She couldn't understand why they others had been so reluctant to let her go and visit her parents. Lizzie had told the boys what had happened when she had visited Jessica's parents and about Isabel's outburst. They were reluctant in case Isabel turned up whilst Jessica was round and called the MRD on her. The last thing any of the Guardians wanted to be was stuck in the flat for days because the MRD knew about them. In the end they had let her go, but one of them would ring at four so she wasn't alone when she came back.

'It's so good to see you again, dear,' Mrs Brown said as she handed Jessica a cup of tea in their lounge, 'I knew some day that the inevitable would come and you'd have to go away. My little girl…' she sighed.

Jessica licked her lips. 'Mum,' she whispered, 'do you know what I am?'

'Yes.' Mrs Brown's answer surprised Jessica.

'You do? How?'

'Isabel,' Mrs Brown said simply, 'she came and declared it to the whole street. Then she started picking on that other friend of yours, the one who saved you from that horrible mutant…'

'How do you know…?'

'I guessed dear. I knew you were close to that girl and the boy. From what the big mutant who brought you back said that other mutants were the ones to thank. I guessed that your friends must have gone after you. They were asking funny questions when we met them, about some Nojo or whoever…'

Jessica didn't bother to correct her mother. She asked about her father and soon forgot about the time and tea.

At four, the doorbell went. 'Who could that be?' Mrs Brown wondered aloud. Jessica knew.

'It'll be a friend,' she explained, 'we're going out and they said that they will pick me up at four so I have enough time to get ready.' She jumped up and collected her stuff as Mrs Brown opened the door. There stood Lizzie on the doorstep.

'Hi,' she said, 'can I come in?' Mrs Brown let her in. 'I'm getting a lot of funny stares from your neighbours. I think they remember what happened between me and Isabel.'

'They have no proof to prove you a mutant though,' Mrs Brown said pointedly, 'Jessica, if you want anything from your room, just go and take it.' The next few minutes Lizzie spent in Jessica's room as she chose things to take to their new flat. She left anything of sentimental value for her mother.

'I love my mum,' Jessica said as she and Lizzie walked away loaded with luggage taken from Jessica's room.

'I know you do,' Lizzie muttered.

Jessica looked round. 'Sorry, Lizzie,' she apologised. 'I keep forgetting that you didn't have anyone when you grew up.'

'I thought I had memory problems,' Lizzie murmured. Jessica laughed but stopped when they rounded the corner and came face to face with the last person Lizzie wanted to meet.

'You,' Isabel snarled as she recognised the two girls before her, 'you had to come crawling back didn't you?'

'You know,' Lizzie said airily, '"You" has a name and she is beginning to be a little offended by always being referred to as "you".'

'Offence is meant,' Isabel snapped.

'I'll take none then,' Lizzie said happily.

'Lizzie,' Jessica hissed under her breath. She turned to Isabel, 'Izzi…'

'"Izzi" won't work on me any more,' Isabel mocked, 'I've changed. I know what you are.'

'And…' Lizzie prompted rudely. Isabel turned to her, jeeringly.

'And I've called the MRD and given them a rough description and estimate of your whereabouts.' Lizzie and Jessica looked at one another. Their decision was instantaneous. They shoved Isabel out of the way and began to run down the road. They heard Isabel laugh and call after them, 'you can run, but you cannot hide.'

They could hear the sound of sirens coming closer and they were coming from the direction they were running in. Lizzie stopped short and Jessica stopped beside her. Lizzie took the bags from round her shoulders and started piling them onto Jessica.

'What you doing?' Jessica complained. Lizzie pointed down a short ally way to their left.

'You go that way. Conjure up as many normal looking girls to help you carry all this stuff back to the flat. I'm going to distract the MRD.'

'But they'll recognise you…'

'Not if I look like someone different,' Lizzie said, pulling from her bag a bottle filled with glittering pieces of glitter. Lizzie emptied a handful into her hand then threw them over her head. As they rained down around her, they obscured Lizzie from Jessica's view. When she reappeared, Lizzie was now a tall redhead with brown eyes and facial features similar to Isabel's. 'How do I look? Different? Good!'

'Are you mad?' Jessica asked as Lizzie propelled her towards the ally.

'Yes, probably,' Lizzie replied and started running again. Jessica paused before entering the ally. When she left, she was in the middle of a crowd of girls all chatting excitedly away about a boy they had seen earlier.

Lizzie ran round the next corner and came face to face with the MRD. Isabel must have contacted them to say that they were heading their way because they had set up and were preparing to shoot. When Lizzie came round the corner, they were momentarily stunned. Then someone yelled open fire and they began to shoot at her.

Lizzie sighed and raised her hand. The bullets were stopped by a wall of rock which rose from the concrete and disappeared as silently as it had come. The MRD paused to consider their next move. That was a mistake. Lizzie drew back her hand and swept it forwards. The blast of air swept MRD officers off their feet and into the vans behind them. Lizzie caused the water pipes below her to crack and forced the water upwards. Water spurted out of the ground around the MRD officers and Lizzie. Lizzie then spent a few fun minutes changing the colour of the water, splashing it about, making pretty shapes and beating up the MRD officers with it. In the end all that was left were a few sodden officers and a lot of mess.

Lizzie passed through the officers who didn't try and resist. She leapt agilely over the vans and – as a sudden idea occurred to her – paused to blow up the fuel tanks in each van. The vans subsequently, started to leak oil. Lizzie gave them no further thought. She turned and walked off.

Unknowingly, she was being watched. A man observed her as she strolled off. He had followed her movements in detail as she fought the MRD. His curiosity had been aroused when he watched the vans gathering here. Now he had enough information to interest a certain someone he knew.

The MRD were dealing with someone much more powerful than they could imagine. But he knew someone who would be very interested in this girl; very interested indeed.

*

The red-head fumbled with her keys on the doorstep. Once she had the door open, and had slammed it shut behind her, she took a few steps forward, turned on her heel and collapsed back on the sofa. Max, who was working on his laptop at the desk behind her, paused and looked up from his work. He frowned when he saw the red hair.

'Luke?' The red head looked over her shoulder and Max identified her by her glittering green eyes and mischievous smile. He grinned. 'Lizzie!'

Lizzie's shoulders drooped. 'How did you recognise me?'

'You're hair may be slightly different, but you're face is the same,' Max went back to his laptop. Confused, Lizzie rushed to the mirror that hung next to the front door. Sure enough, her hair was still bright red with auburn highlights – where her normal hair colour was starting to creep back – but her face was back to being normal, freckled and slightly oval. Lizzie scowled. So did her reflection.

'I hoped it would last longer,' she muttered crossly.

'Is that Lizzie I hear?' Jessica asked, coming out from the bedroom that she shared with Lizzie. Lizzie spun around and stepped round the corner of a wall so Jessica could see her. Jessica smiled. 'Still red,' she commented.

'Not for long,' Lizzie said unhappily. She flicked her red hair over her shoulder in a dramatic fashion and flounced back to the mirror. Behind her back, Max and Jessica grinned at one another; Lizzie was contemplating herself in the mirror and missed this exchange. 'I think next time I'll go blonde.'

Jessica's smile disappeared. 'Next time?' she asked, 'there's not going to be a next time!'

Lizzie glowered at her over her shoulder. 'What are you going to do? Lock me in here until the MRD stop looking for me? They're not looking for me! They're looking for a red haired young girl at the moment.'

'Auburn is pretty close to red,' Jessica pointed out. But before it could spiral into a full scale argument, Luke walked through the door.

'Hey,' he said, shutting the door and looking Lizzie up and down. His face split into a large grin. 'Did it work?' he asked.

'Yeah,' Lizzie said joyfully, 'it worked fine, but by the time I got back here, it had worn off.'

'How long did that take? Half an hour?' Luke said as he squeezed past the sofa and desk, passed Max and plonked the bags he carried onto the dinner table. From the soft clinks inside, Lizzie guessed that he had just gone to the shops. She hurried over to help his unpack, but Jessica beat her to him. She leant on top of the bag Luke had started to open and leaned closer to him.

'Do you mean that you made those… things?'

'Yep,' Luke said happily, not hearing the dangerous tone that Jessica was using, 'they should alter our appearance so when we face other mutants or the MRD, we can't be traced back to here by sight. Lizzie agreed to test them for me, didn't you?' He glanced at Lizzie.

'Yeah,' she nodded uncertainly. She had noticed the murderous look that Jessica was giving to anyone who took part in this scheme.

'And why,' she asked slowly, 'was I not told?'

'We wanted it to be a surprise,' Luke replied nervously. Jessica considered him for a moment then she jerked the bag open and began to unpack the food Luke had bought. Luke humbly took the position of putting the food away in the kitchen. With nothing to do, Lizzie decided to escape and so hurried down a passage that ran between the two bedrooms. As she left, Jessica called after her, 'I haven't finished with this yet!' Lizzie knew though that, for the moment, she had escaped.

She pushed open the door at the end of the passage and stepped out onto the balcony. She went to the edge and peered over. Only a few floors below her, people hurried along, absorbed in their own lives. Lizzie noticed that the flowers she had planted in window boxes on their balcony needed a little water. She waved her hand and the soil became damp. A slight wind caught the petals and made them wave a small thank you. It also caught her now auburn hair. Lizzie turned her face into the wind.

Then it happened. Her mind felt like it was in intense pain. Lizzie's hands flew to her temples as her mind block wavered. Then it past.

From within the flat, Lizzie heard a smash. She sprinted back into the flat to find Jessica and Max had collapsed. Luke ran out from their open plan kitchen. He went straight to Jessica. Lizzie rolled her eyes. As soon as Luke touched Jessica's temples, her eyes opened.

'Ouch!' she said softly. Luke sat back to give her air and his eyes met Lizzie's. He was momentarily surprised and in that moment he said, 'you're not out!'

'No!' Lizzie remarked, 'but I probably felt that more than you did.' She busied herself with clearing up the egg mess that Jessica had made when she dropped the carton. She had just about got it out from the carpet, when Luke woke Max. Lizzie could tell that he had been contemplating not to, but with Jessica breathing down his neck, he had no option. Lizzie put the gooey mess back into the carton. She sighed.

'There's no way we can use that!'

Luke came to stand beside her as Jessica checked Max. Max was still only just stirring. He looked at her worriedly. 'Are you alright?' he asked concerned.

'Fine,' Lizzie replied wearily, 'my head still hurts.'

'Shows though,' Luke shrugged, 'you're mind block must be very good to survive a psychic blast like that! That must have been from a very powerful telepath!'

'I think it might be damaged,' Lizzie said fearfully.

Luke checked it. 'Nope, it's fine.'

'I'll take this back to the shop and exchange it,' Lizzie said and popped the eggs back into one of the empty bags. Luke didn't try and hide his annoyance. He had wanted to quiz her about the appearance changing glittery things.

Jessica glanced up as Lizzie passed her. 'Where are you going?'

'Back to the shop to exchange the eggs you smashed,' Lizzie replied.

'Now?'

'Yeah, whilst there's no-one to charge me,' Lizzie grinned at Jessica's shocked face and hurried out the door before she could be stopped. She ran down the stairs and out of the flats.


	11. Sinister

It has been SO long since I last updated. I blame it on Exams, School, Work and the dreaded Writer's Block! Ah well, here is the 11th Chapter. I can't wait to finish this Story!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Wolverine and the X-men. Not saying that it would be better if I did (I'd probably forget to write it)**

* * *

The street was littered with unconscious people. Cars were still running; their drivers slumped over the wheel. There was a loud car alarm going off nearby. Curious, Lizzie hurried down the street and peered round the corner. There had been a car chase before the blast. The lead car was run up against a lamp post; a teenage kid was lying unconscious across the steering wheel. The police car that had been following it had crashed into the back. Inside were two cops, also out cold.

Lizzie crossed the road and continued past the two crashed cars. At the end of the road was a 24/7 supermarket. Lizzie avoided the cars and people who covered the car park and entered the shop. Unconscious shoppers lay in the aisles, their trolleys laden and abandoned. Lizzie found the aisle that contained eggs and exchanged her battered carton for one with full eggs. A checkout girl had her till open as Lizzie passed. To stop herself being tempted, Lizzie shut the drawer, and then ruined it slightly by helping herself to a chocolate bar.

As she stood outside opening the chocolate bar, a car screeched round the corner. Lizzie took one look at the number plate and recognised it. She waved. The car pulled to a halt. Lizzie bounded up to the window and was disappointed slightly when Scott's face was revealed when the window went down. She didn't let that dampen her spirits.

'Hi, enjoying your ride. I suppose there's not much traffic with everybody…'

'You'd be surprised,' someone interrupted. Lizzie leaned slightly to the right and saw Emma Frost sitting at the wheel.

'Emma,' she said happily, 'you're acting frosty this morning!' Frost's eyes narrowed. 'So what brings you two here?' Lizzie carried on quickly, 'and why aren't the rest of the X-men with you?'

'Jean…' Scott muttered before Emma stopped him, but Lizzie had heard.

'Jean!' she cried, 'you've located her then. I'm guessing that this is her work.' She waved her chocolate free hand around at the lifeless bodies littering the road.

'She sent out a powerful psychic blast which has rendered everyone within 5 miles unconscious. I'm pretty surprised that you're still awake,' Frost commented icily.

'You are,' Lizzie pointed out.

'I'm a telepath,' Frost said huffily.

'And we are blessed enough to have a telepath on our team,' Lizzie informed her. She decided not to add that she had survived the attack in the first place.

Frost raised an eyebrow and turned her attention to Scott. 'Scott, we should keep going if we're going to get to Jean before anyone else.'

'Everyone's unconscious,' Lizzie said pointedly, 'who else will be after her?'

'Sinister…' Scott murmured.

'Whoever that is he sounds… sinister, maybe you should get going.' Scott nodded and wound up the window. Few seconds later, Frost put her foot down on the accelerator and the car swerved to avoid a car parked on the kerb. Lizzie automatically looked right and left before crossing the road and heading back to the flat, tucking into the chocolate on her way.

Lizzie panted slightly as she finished climbing the stairs to the fifth floor. She wanted to take the lift but the doors had been blocked by several boxes and was crammed full of unconscious bodies. Lizzie had decided that the best option was the stairs. Lizzie checked herself to make sure that no signs of chocolate remained on her and pressed the bell.

Jessica opened the door. 'That took you a long time,' she commented.

'I met someone,' Lizzie said as she pushed past Jessica.

'Who?' Jessica asked.

'Emma Frost and Scott Summers,' Lizzie informed her, 'they've driven here because they believe that Jean Grey is the reason behind the psychic blast. As far as I can tell, they are probably the only people from Xavier manor conscious.'

'What makes you think that?' Jessica asked, following Lizzie as she rounded the desk and entered the kitchen.

'Because knowing Logan, he won't have let Emma and Scott go alone. He would have sent the entire team, just in case,' Lizzie muttered darkly, 'I think Emma likes being able to pick and choose who the take with her and who to leave unconscious.'

'Don't say that,' Jessica snapped.

'You didn't see how she reacted to me,' Lizzie straightened up after putting the eggs in the fridge and turned to face Jessica, her arms folded, 'I got the distinct impression that she doesn't like us being awake.' Lizzie stepped forward and peered round the corner so she could see Max, who was still working on his laptop. 'Max, can I ask you something?' Max looked up at her, 'are you familiar with someone named Sinister?'

Max frowned. 'Sinister… yeah… I think he's on the X-men files, wait a minute,' he began to furiously type. Lizzie came round the back of him to look over his shoulder, but the only thing on the screen where numbers and digits. Luke wandered out of his bedroom and sat on one of the dining chairs. He playfully pulled Jessica onto his lap; she squealed and tried to make him let go. Max wasn't letting himself be distracted. Finally, he hit the enter bar and a file appeared on the monitor.

'Sinister,' Max read, 'is a mutant scientist bent on creating the perfect mutant using DNA samples from other mutants.' Max scanned the rest of the text, 'apparently, he's been after Jean Grey from some time in order to try and recreate the "phoenix force"…'

'What's that?' the others asked.

'It's the telepathic thing which is currently inside Jean Grey. It has appeared many times over the centuries, pretty much always inside telepaths.' Max looked over his shoulder to look at them, spotted Jessica and Luke and scowled.

Seeing his reaction, Lizzie bit her lip to stop herself laughing. It didn't work. Her laugh came out as a snort and she staggered over to the sofa to help keep her upright. When she was able to turn back to them, they were staring at her with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

'Do you know who you three remind me of? You remind me of Logan and Scott arguing over Jean! It's ridiculous! Honestly, can't you get a grip?' she glared at Luke and Max who shifted uneasily. Luke let Jessica go and she came over to stand with Lizzie. But Lizzie hadn't finished. 'Jess and I both know about your crushes,' the boys looked surprised (could have been because they didn't know that the girls knew, or they hadn't worked out that the other one fancied Jessica, Lizzie didn't care), 'but I don't know how Jess is going to be able to make a decision with you two acting like this! Grow up! If you start acting your age then Jess is more likely to make a decision because she knows the other isn't going to start acting like a sore loser and totally flip! If you really like her, get a grip!'

Silence met her outburst. The boys just stared at her; Jessica nervously rocked on her feet. Lizzie glared at them and then put her head in her hands. She suddenly felt exhorted. It must have affected me more than I thought. Lizzie straightened up. 'I'm going to lie down.'

*

The sun was setting when Lizzie awoke. The first thing that went through her head as she watched the sun set was, 'I have really slept through the day.' The second was, 'I'm hungry.' So she threw back the covers and trudged out of her bedroom into the main room of their flat.

Their flat wasn't very big: two bedrooms, a bathroom and one main room with an open kitchen hidden in a corner. Lizzie couldn't hear anyone else as she crossed to the kitchen. As she passed the dinner table she noticed a note lying randomly on the top. She picked it up in one hand as she made her way into the kitchen.

It read: "we've gone out for a meal. We'll be back at around eight if you don't want to join us; if you do, we're eating at the Garden Diner. Hope to see you, Jessica.

Lizzie grunted and fixed herself a sandwich. The sandwich was gone in under five minutes and Lizzie was still hungry. Grumpily, she changed into a loose embroidered top and jeans with embellished pockets and seams. She quickly did her eyes in mascara and grabbed her keys on her way out. She wanted to show them that she had made a slight effort.

Lizzie exited the flat and took the bus that went towards the centre of town. She made a mental note about all the conscious people now patrolling the streets; Emma and Scott must have sorted the Jean problem out. She got off the bus fifteen minutes later and started to walk towards the restaurant the other end of the road. She could see the lights and… what was that?

Lizzie whipped round and faced the man creeping up behind her. He stopped short and examined her. She looked him up and down. He had purple hair and was wearing some sort of costume which was half metal half material.

She sneered, 'you breathe so loudly, I could hit you in dark!'

He just raised his eyebrows. He raised his left hand. Lizzie realised just in time and leapt out of the way as a blast of energy radiated from the man's hand and zoomed in her direction. The blast carried on going down the road until it hit the restaurant. Lizzie could hear the screams and yells of the startled diners as the blast hit. The explosion was deafening. Before the man could realise that he had missed, Lizzie fired her own fireball which hit him in the stomach. With that she turned and ran.

~Meanwhile~

The topic of conversation before the energy had blown up the restaurant had been Lizzie. It was Luke who had brought it up; the others hadn't been particularly keen on the topic, but they knew that they had to talk about her at some point.

'She hasn't been sleeping well,' Jessica admitted, 'I think she's been dreaming about Genosha again.'

'We can't stop that,' Max muttered unhappily, 'she'll keep dreaming until it happens.'

'She says names,' Jessica whispered.

'Like…?' Luke asked.

'Our names, X-men names – particularly Nightcrawler's – she often pleads with Eizel and… Oscar...'

'Oscar!' both boys exclaimed.

'You don't think…' Max began. He didn't finish because that was when the blast hit the front of the restaurant and chaos began to rain around them.

~Back with Lizzie~

If it wasn't for the whoosh that his wings made, Lizzie wouldn't have known that Archangel was after her. She only just heard it and dived down to avoid him as he swooped overhead. Archangel turned in midair and lunged for another attack. Behind her, the man – she now recognised him from the X-men files as Arclight – was charging up again. Lizzie drew the ground over her in defence and heard Arcligh's blast and Archangel's attack bounce off.

Lizzie crouched down, pressed her back against the top of her dome and pushed up until she was standing. The earth moved around her until it was covering her entire body, like proactive rock armour. She couldn't see Archangel, but she could see Arclight; he was staring at the rock being. Lizzie bunched her hands into fists and rested them against her chest. Then she swept one round in a wide arc and then the other. With each sweep a ripple of air flew towards Arclight. Both found their target.

Lizzie raised her hands and the rocks around her crumbled away from her body. She had found it difficult to move with the ground around her anyway. She pushed forward with her arms and the scattered rocks smacked into Arclight. He staggered and tripped backwards. His head hit the ground and Lizzie suspected that he had been knocked out.

'Lizzie!'

Lizzie turned to see Jessica running towards her, Luke and Max were helping people out of the wreck that had been the Garden Diner. A relieved smile lit up her face for the briefest of seconds, and then Archangel flew into view, flying at her again.

Lizzie growled and raised her right hand. A shot of air zoomed at Archangel. He dodged it. Lizzie raised her left in a similar manner, dropping her right as she did, and fire shot at him instead. Archangel dodged this too. Lizzie raised her right, then left, right, left, right, left; each time it was a different element: air with one blast, then fire, then water, air, air again, ice, gravel, air, and so on, randomly selecting one. With each shot, Lizzie took one step back. She stopped when she heard a crunch underfoot and, looking down, realised she had backed into the rocks she had fired at Arclight. He stepped seemed like he was out.

Something caught Lizzie's attention. Looking back at Archangel, she saw he had aimed his iron feathers at her. Lizzie summoned air and concentrated on stopping the feathers. They slowed but were refusing to stop. She heard Jessica's shout as it rang in her ears, 'Guys. Come and help her! Lizzie! Lizzie, look out!'

Lizzie looked over her shoulder as a hand clamped down on it. Arclight wasn't out after all. He smiled as Lizzie struggled out of his grip. Lizzie staggered and slipped on the gravel she had hit Arclight with. She stopped herself hitting the ground by flicking air downwards to steady her. Arclight took the opportunity and thumped her in the small of the back.

Lizzie grunted and collapsed in pain. She felt a sharp prick as Arclight jabbed a needle into her and injected something. Her sight swam and began to fade. Darkness crowded in. Her hearing vanished until all she could hear was her own steady heartbeat and then nothing.

*

When Lizzie opened her eyes, she didn't recognise where she was. At first she though she was in the X-men labs or hospital area, but it didn't look a friendly as that. Also they didn't tend to strap people down. Lizzie tugged at the bonds. Metal, darn. Lizzie searched for something she could use, but didn't see anything.

'No use struggling. We know about your metal weakness, you're not going to get free.' A man stepped into Lizzie's view and her first thought of him was "Vampire!"

Sinister chuckled menacingly. 'My dear, I am not a vampire, although the description does suit me. I have, however, not a thirst for blood, but a thirst for knowledge...'

'I know several people with a thirst for knowledge,' Lizzie interrupted, 'none of them have become kidnappers or psychopaths!'

Sinister chuckled in response to this. 'She is a feisty when awake as she is when she is out,' he said, more to himself than to anyone else. When Lizzie looked confused, Sinister turned and pressed a button which switched on a large projector screen. Lizzie watched herself being forced onto the table by a large man who then proceeded to try and strap her down. The unconscious Lizzie started fighting back, finally throwing the large man off with an impressive electric blast.

Lizzie raised her eyebrows. 'I didn't realise that I had a back-up system! So what happens now?'

'I extract what I need,' Sinister said and moved across to a control panel.

Lizzie thought hard. Max had said something about Sinister using mutant DNA to make perfect mutants. Did that mean that he was going to take her DNA? Lizzie thought hard. She couldn't let Sinister take what he wanted; otherwise she would be of no further use to him. Luke, Max and Jessica were coming after her surely. She just had to give them time. The question was, how?

Lizzie went through her mind of all the mutants she had come across. She thought of all the powers she could copy. She had started panicking because she couldn't think of anyone when her mind flashed back to a morning very early on in her stay at the Xavier manor. Kurt and Logan had been showing them around when they came across the hand-to-hand practice season between Emma and Kitty. Emma had taken on her diamond form to even the odds for Kitty. Diamond was one of the hardest substances on earth and one of the things that Lizzie could replicate.

When Sinister turned back, Lizzie had forced the air around her to form solid diamond coving her body from top to bottom. She felt a little odd in this glass-like suit but smiled at Sinister's surprised face. To her surprise, Sinister merely smiled back.

'I can wait,' he said and crossed to a throne seated at the other end of the room. He sat down to wait for Lizzie's diamond protection to wear off.

So can I, Lizzie thought, but, for how long?

*

In the early hours of the morning, Max, Jessica and Luke were flying through the air on the back of a giant bird. They were following the path Archangel took when he and Arclight had fled.

Luke sat at the front, eyes closed, nose high, taking long breaths and trying to visualise Archangel's flight. This was a technique he had learnt from Logan. Logan had taken him aside one day in the manor to talk about tracking. For the rest of the day, Luke had had to sniff out the activities of other X-men and report them back to Logan, without them noticing. Luke had been proud to be able to follow Emma around the manor, to her bedroom and even to the gardens when she stalked out to find Scott without her realising. After all, Luke thought, I was probably the only other person who could match Logan's skill of tracking.

Jessica sat watching the city being covered by clouds and every so often checking up on Max who was researching Sinister's accomplices. She loved seeing the city at night and she thanked the closing darkness for their cover. She had chosen a dark raven black bird to be their transport and it blended with the night sky, as long as they didn't cross the moon. Max had brought his laptop with him, much to Jessica's amusement and would draw her attention to details every so often that might help their rescue mission.

'I hope Lizzie's ok,' Jessica said, finally breaking the silence.

'Me too,' Luke said from the front.

'And me,' Max added. Neither of them really wanted to talk about it. Both were feeling guilty, but neither wanted to talk to Jessica about it. It would mean admitting something that they had tried to forget about for nine years.

'He's diving,' Luke said a while later and spread his own wings to follow the scent. Jessica steadied the bird as Luke leapt off, his white feathered wings billowing out behind him. Jessica brought the raven bird to dive down with him as she registered where they were aiming for. They were soaring down towards a factory spread over about three kilometres and in the centre was a massive metal dome. Luke had landed on the top of this dome and was waiting for them. Jessica pulled the bird out of the dive to land lightly on the roof.

'Can you…?' Jessica started to ask Luke.

'If you are going to ask me to try and mentally find her, may I just remind you how strong her mental block is,' Luke interrupted. Jessica blinked, hurt by what he had said. Luke noticed the look and softened. 'I'm sure she's alright,' he said gently, 'knowing Lizzie, she'll hang in there, waiting for us.'

'So how do we get through this?' Jessica nodded at the metal dome beneath them.

Max coughed. 'Allow me,' he said and reached down and placed a hand on the dome.

Jessica huffed. 'Not much of an entrance though,' she said grumpily. Max looked up at her in surprise.

'What were you expecting?'

'I want to smash our way through,' Jessica said.

Both boys stared at her in shock. 'You sound like Lizzie,' Luke commented.

'Why can't we?' Jessica snapped.

'Jessica, this metal is a foot thick,' Max told her.

'Weaken it then,' Jessica said.

'And what are you going to use to smash it?' Luke asked her.

Jessica smiled and began to glow orange. Behind her the raven black bird twisted and began to grow. Its feathers shot inwards and turned into scales. Its head shrank in size and lengthened. 'Hmm,' Jessica said in mock thought as Tiamont rose out of the darkness behind her, 'let me think.'

*

'So,' Lizzie said, shortly before her best friends landed on the roof, 'why don't you explain to me all about this whilst we wait for this to wear off?'

Sinister smiled at her. 'Nice try,' he said, 'but I'm afraid I cannot say.'

Lizzie sighed. 'Can you at least tell me why you chose me?' she asked, 'you could have chosen much more powerful mutants but you chose me.'

Sinister leaned back in his chair. 'I already have the mutant ability I've been searching for...'

'You have Jean's telepathy,' Lizzie said before she could stop herself.

'Well done,' Sinister said mockingly, 'you did do your homework.' He stood up and came across to stand beside Lizzie. She shuddered as he approached; thinking about what he would do with the Phoenix power. 'I heard about you from a minion of mine who had witnessed you defeat an entire MRD control unit. Admittedly, his description was of a red-haired girl until I heard from a... patient of whom I was aquatinted with…'

'In other words, you stole his DNA,' Lizzie muttered. Sinister ignored her.

'…and he told me about a gang of kids who were roaming the city taking out mutant gangs who used their abilities to attack humans. I was fascinated when I heard about a young girl who had the same gifts as the red-head my follower had described.'

'You still haven't answered, why me?' Lizzie repeated.

'You have guessed that I recently acquired the Phoenix force. I need someone with a fiery ability to control it and besides,' he turned to face her, smiling in a way Lizzie did not like, 'if I use you, I get to dabble with entire elemental control. I do not believe you have fully reached your potential and I wish to help you with that.'

'Hardly,' Lizzie said.

Sinister opened his mouth to reply but at that point something struck the ceiling. It buckled under the weight and a triangular dent appeared in the metal work.

'What is that?' Sinister asked, taken aback.

'From the sound of it,' Lizzie replied, grinning from ear to ear, 'it sounds like a fifteen foot dragon is smashing its way through your ceiling. I think my friends have arrived.'

As she said that, the ceiling was broken in and the edges pulled back by a disappointingly skinny boy. Sinister had already summoned the gang who worked for him: Arclight and Archangel, Multiple Man, Vertigo and Blockbuster. As they arranged themselves, separating Lizzie and Sinister from the group above, Lizzie's skin began to tingle and the cold feeling spread down her body as time stopped.

Max slid down on a metal pole he fashioned out of the ceiling and hurried over to break Lizzie's bonds. 'Diamond! Nice!' he exclaimed as Lizzie sat up, rubbing her wrist and shaking the diamonds away.

'You took your time,' Lizzie said, 'I was growing almost anxious.' She looked up at the frozen Sinister whose eyes were still fixed on the hole in the roof. 'I think he should be allowed to see us go,' Lizzie said to Max, 'I feel it will be much more fun.'

'If you're sure,' Max said, and let time go.

Sinister spun round to see this new intruder. 'Get him,' he roared and everyone leapt into action.

Archangel turned in midair to face Max only to be tackled out of the air by Luke. The two fought in the air, Archangel writhing and twisting in Luke's grip. Vertigo, a pale woman with striking green hair and dressed in a striped green suit, aimed at Luke. He struggled to block it out but loosened his grip on Archangel. Archangel, sensing the weakness, broke free and hit Luke just below the chin.

Lizzie, noticing this unfair two-on-one fight, dodged round Blockbuster and sent off a wave of wind which hit Vertigo and sent her spinning into the wall from which she did not get up. Jessica, trying to help from above, decided to even the odds and broke Tiamont into many smaller dragons which she rained down on Multiple Man, who was splitting himself. Max was facing Arclight, but mostly he spent his time escaping Arclight's attacks.

Lizzie was backing away as Blockbuster swung his fists at her. 'Jessica,' she called up to her friend, 'I need a hand.' In return, Jessica sent her a ball of energy which reformed in front of Lizzie into a giant Minotaur, just as Blockbuster hit it. The Minotaur roared in pain and head butted Blockbuster in the stomach, using his horns to push Blockbuster away from Lizzie. Lizzie had already moved on to take over Max's position of fighting Arclight. Max was dealing with the ever multiplying Multiple Man whose numbers where rapidly overpowering Jessica's dragons. Sinister had sunk into the shadows and was watching the fight with interest. He knew he would win; in the end, he always won.

As Multiple Man's legs disappeared into the metal floor, Blockbuster was floored by the Minotaur (now being helped by a Cyclopes) and Arclight was almost frozen solid by Lizzie, Vertigo came to her senses. She was not used to being dazed, but after spinning into a wall it could not be helped. As she watched Archangel and Luke fly by she noticed a female figure peer into the room through the hole in the ceiling. The fourth member, she thought, time to even up the fight. Vertigo flared her hands and the figure swayed beyond the gap. Suddenly she gasped, slipped and fell through the hole. Luke had finally floored Archangel and was just about to deliver the final blow when he saw Jessica fall out of the corner of his eye. He swerved and caught Jessica just before she hit the ground. The dragons, Minotaur and Cyclopes vanished instantly.

Lizzie and Max had also seen their friend fall and left their fights to check her. Blockbuster slowly got to his feet and punched Arclight free of the ice. Sinister came out of the shadows as his minions surrounded the four friends.

'Are you ready to face defeat?' he called across the hall.

'Not yet,' Lizzie called back. 'Max,' she muttered, 'you remember your original plan. It's sounding pretty good now.' Max grinned, rolled his eyes and slowly, time stood still.

Lizzie held her hands downwards and paused. 'What about him?' she asked, nodding at Archangel who was suspended in midair.

'What about him?' Luke repeated in confusion.

'That's Angel isn't it. He used to be one of the x-men until Sinister changed him.'

'And…'

'Your point is…'

Lizzie rolled her eyes. Boys were so thick at times. 'We could heal him. If we take him away now…'

'It's a nice thought Lizzie,' Luke said, propping Jessica against his leg and rummaging in his bag of smelling salts, 'but we don't know who Sinister is controlling him and it is more likely that we will be endangering ourselves more by taking him with us.'

He found them and wafted them under Jessica's nose. Slowly, she began to come round. Lizzie took one last look at Archangel (thinking of Storm and how upset she had been about Angel) before directing her hands downwards again and causing a slab of earth to rise up, carrying the four of them with it.

Lizzie was still quiet as she climbed onto the back of Frayne with Max, who was grumbling about the "unfair" seating arrangements. She remained silent for the journey and when they got back she only broke it to say goodnight to her friends (even though it was about six in the morning) before she tumbled into bed.

And that night, just like every other night, she dreamt the same dream about Genosha.

* * *

It has taken me ages to write that and I'm still not happy with it. Hopefully the next update will not take as long but I can't promise you anything as I will be having exams.


	12. Phoenix War

Really sorry this took so long. I couldn't remember exactly what happened as the show hasn't been aired in so long and so, as you will soon discover, I had to make stuff up.

Hopefully, you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter. Thank you so much to those who took the time to review. They are much appritiated.

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolverine and the X-men.

* * *

Lizzie lay on her bed, staring mournfully at the ceiling. She was aware that Luke had been in the room for the last five minutes, but refused to make eye-contact. Feeling awkward with the silence, Luke coughed and finally started the conversation.

'You've been dreaming about Genosha again, haven't you?'

Lizzie remained silent; she knew that was a statement rather than a question.

Luke sighed and threw himself onto Jessica's bed, turning his head sideways so he could watch Lizzie. He studied her face for a while before asking in a cheery voice, 'So what was it this time? Has Eizel thought of anything more dramatic?'

'No,' Lizzie said softly, 'it was fire again.' There was another pause. 'When will these dreams stop, Luke?' Lizzie asked after a while.

Luke sighed hard, 'when it happens, I'm afraid.'

'And when will that be?'

'Who knows, but I'm assuming that it will be when Jean is back with the X-men.'

'Is there any new news about Jean?' Lizzie asked, finally turning on her side to stare at Luke. It was Luke who looked away now, not wanting to make eye-contact.

'Not exactly,' he said wistfully, 'though, Logan did go mental and threw Emma into their cell.'

Lizzie chuckled rolling back onto her back. 'Well, it was only a matter of time before he did that!'

Luke laughed with her. They lay in silence for a while, before a huge smash echoed from the kitchen. Luke snorted. 'What's Jess dropped this time?' he smiled humouredly.

Lizzie sat up and looked at him. 'If that was Jess,' she stated, 'why didn't Max freeze time to catch it?'

Luke's brows furrowed. 'They are both in the kitchen…' he tailed off and leapt to his feet, a sudden gleam of realisation in his eyes. Lizzie followed him, curious.

They found their friends in the kitchen, surrounded by smashed glass that had been a pudding dish. Max was stood frozen to the spot, a faraway look in his eyes. Jessica was clutching his arm and staring at his face worried. Luke peeled her fingers off Max's arm, saying, 'he will want to use that when he's finished.'

'Sorry,' Jessica muttered, letting go, 'it's just a bit sudden.'

'What's happening?' Lizzie asked, frightened.

'Don't worry,' Luke reassured her, 'Max is just foreseeing…'

'The war! The phoenix!' Max interrupted suddenly, making them jump.

'What?' said everyone, simultaneously.

'I saw Magneto,' Max explained, 'he's going to start the war against himself. He's got someone being Kelly, a shape shifter, so he can control both sides of the war. He thinks he's going to win. But he's not. It was Emma and the Hellfire Club who took Jean. They're going release the phoenix force thinking that they can control it.'

'They can't!' Jessica hissed.

Luke closed his eyes and the girls guessed accurately that he was reliving the prophecy through Max's memory. After a pause he opened his eyes. 'I see.'

'What?' Jessica and Lizzie both exclaimed. Both boys shared a long stare before Luke turned away sharply. Max followed him slowly as Luke made his way to the computer and booted it up. The others trailed behind him. Luke stared at Lizzie, 'could you clean the glass off the kitchen floor; it'll only take you a couple of minutes.'

Lizzie scowled. 'Are you going to explain afterwards?' she asked, folding her arms.

'Maybe,' Luke said distractedly. Lizzie's scowl deepened, but she purposefully swivelled on her heel and stormed back to the kitchen. During this action, she missed the glances that Luke and Max shared behind her back.

Luke was right however; it did only take Lizzie two minutes to collect all the broken glass. She fashioned it into a crystallized bowl, searching for the tiniest traces of glass left on the floor. Then she increased the heat of the glass until it moulded into the shape she wanted. This took a little longer than she wanted to so when she finally returned to the trio gathered around the computer, they had already sent a message to X-men. Luke was rubbing the bridge of his nose, groaning. Max and Jessica were discussing something in low voices at the dinner table.

'Oh, have you told them then?' Lizzie said, disappointedly. No-one replied. At length, Jessica rose from the table and gestured for Lizzie to follow her. She led her to their bedroom and shut the door firmly before turning to Lizzie.

'Actually Lizzie,' she said, sitting on Lizzie's bed and pulling Lizzie down with her, 'we've only told them about Magneto.'

'Why?'

'Think about Emma,' Jessica said, 'what will Logan do to her if... when he finds out?' Lizzie was silent. 'Lizzie,' Jessica said, taking Lizzie by the shoulders, 'Emma has to do something. Logan has to learn to trust her otherwise the world the Professor is in... It will come true. Today is the day... the fate of the world resolves around this day and what happens.'

Lizzie looked down and away. Jessica let her go. 'That's why we've not told them everything,' she said and left.

Much later, when the sun had set into a glowing twilight, Lizzie sat on her bed reading her old diary. Jessica and the boys were watching a film, but Lizzie wasn't in the mood to be sociable. She was thinking about her previous life and the life she led now when a scream shattered the peace of the evening like their glass bowl earlier. A few seconds later, with an almighty crash, the apartment block opposite toppled forwards and smashed into theirs.

Lizzie was at the window in an instant. Beyond the wreckage of the flats was a man made entirely of metal. In his chest was a white circle of light. His pulsing red eyes met hers. Lizzie realised after a few seconds that she wasn't breathing.

'Lizzie!' Jessica staggered in. Their apartment was rocking back and forth as it tried to balance itself. 'Lizzie, we've got to get out,' Jessica screamed, grabbing her bag. She followed Lizzie's gaze to the sentinel that had now turned and was destroying the office block down the road.

'Aren't they the sentinels made by Kelly to destroy Genosha?' Lizzie asked quietly.

'Yeah,' Jessica said.

'Why is attacking here then?'

'Magneto,' was all Jessica needed to reply. Then, 'we've got to help them.' Lizzie nodded as she watched people fleeing from the metal monster. Jessica stepped up to the window and raised her arms. She began to glow with an orange energy. Lizzie turned away and grabbed her most precious belongings, stuffing them into her leather satchel. When she returned to the window, Jessica was clambering up the tail of Tinamont. The black dragon was eyeing the metal sentinel with little interest. Lizzie climbed out of the window just as Jessica reached her usual position on the dragon's back, just between the wing blades. Tinamont roared and flapped his wings to gain height.

Knowing it was too late to climb up with Jessica; Lizzie threw herself forward and grabbed the spiky barb on the end of the dragon's tail as it passed downwards. She held on until she was two metres from the ground before letting go and performing a perfect forward roll before rolling to her feet. She got up feeling very pleased with herself before realising that no-one could see her. Everyone was frozen into place.

Lizzie turned and scowled as Max and Luke approached her. 'Nice,' Luke commented.

'Yes,' Lizzie said, 'pity no-one else could see it.'

Max released time with a smile and the noise of screaming returned. There was an almighty crash and Tinamont's tail battered the metal sentinel down. It collapsed momentarily before rising and pointing its hands towards Jessica. Jessica realised what it was planning to do seconds before it happened and Tinamont dissolved as the beam shot towards her.

'Max!' Lizzie, Luke and Jessica all yelled. Slightly grumpily, Max froze time and the beam stopped feet from Jessica. But Jessica was falling now. There was a gust of wind as Luke took off. He caught the falling Jessica and landed as Max released time again. The four regrouped as, with a sound that echoed a sigh, their block of flats crumpled to the ground.

'Great,' Lizzie muttered, 'homeless again.'

'Where are the X-men?' Jessica asked.

'Don't know,' Luke said, 'but for now, it's just us. Max, do you think you can take on Magneto?'

Max shrugged. 'I could have a go,' he said, 'but I'll need someone to help me to dodge obstacles: I can't keep stopping time.'

Luke turned to Lizzie. She opened her mouth to agree, but then caught a glimpse of Max's expression. He looked angry and disappointed. Lizzie started to feel sorry for him when she worked out Luke's game. By sending Max off with Lizzie, Luke was automatically putting himself with Jessica. Lizzie wasn't having it.

'I thought I would help those trapped in buildings,' she told Luke, 'it'll make more sense seeing Max's going to take on Magneto. Send Jessica with him.' Behind her, Max beamed and turned triumphantly to Luke.

Luke growled a response before gesturing that Max and Jessica should go. When they had left he turned to Lizzie, but she regarded him coolly and set off in the opposite direction. Luke wavered in the middle before following her.

Whilst Luke used his telepathic abilities to search for people trapped inside buildings, Lizzie opened up the falling flats and provided an ice slide so that the families could get out. It soon reached the point, however, that Lizzie couldn't keep up with Luke. Luke was flying ahead, marking the buildings with his claws and Lizzie was running along behind him until it got to the point that she cried out to him, 'would you start helping people out of the buildings rather than flapping past and moping about Jessica?'

That pulled Luke up short. 'I'm not moping,' he called back, but grudgingly flew to the nearest building, smashed the window open and helped a weeping woman to the pavement. The woman screamed and ran off. 'Charming,' Luke muttered, 'not even a thank you.' Lizzie snorted.

Meanwhile, Jessica and Max, on the back of Tinamont, were trying to find Magneto and distracting sentinels along the way. Jessica manoeuvred Tinamont alongside Magneto and called across to him, 'Magneto! Stop this!'

Magneto seemed surprised to be hailed by his name and turned away from the chaos to stare at Jessica and Max. He started in shock when he realised what they were riding on. He smiled when he realised that they must be forming it and hailed them, 'My fellow mutants, why do you oppose me?'

They gaped at him. 'Why do we oppose you?' Jessica repeated in a strangled whisper.

Max coughed and said in an offhand voice, 'it might have something to do with the fact that a sentinel just knocked down our apartment.' Jessica hid back a giggle.

Magneto shook his head. 'A worthless man-made flat is nothing compared to what awaits you in Genosha,' he said, 'at it could be yours for free.'

'Money was never really an issue with us,' Jessica said.

'And I think I'd prefer to live in a house where I know no-one can cause the floor to disappear beneath my feet,' Max added.

Magneto tried a different tack. 'Have you seen the fierce persecution that they have set up against us,' he yelled, 'just because we are a little different from them.'

'Yes,' Jessica replied, 'my best friend turned against me! It is human nature to fear that that you do not know. But you do not help matters, starting wars and such like. It does not help our cause.'

But Magneto had stopped listening after the second sentence. 'Human nature,' he muttered. 'Human nature,' he repeated, louder still. 'Yes. It has always been "human nature" to fear that they do not truly understand. At first it was the diseases, then the colour of human skin and always the background fear of those who believe different things about our almighty Lord.'

Jessica stared across at Magneto, sadness in her eyes. 'I forgot,' she whispered, 'you were part of the holocaust too.'

Magneto swelled to his full height and glared back. 'Too?' he questioned. 'How could one as young and simpleminded as you understand the horrors that we had to endure then? How could you possibly begin to understand the pain of families torn from one another by the monsters that called themselves Nazis'? You cannot begin to imagine what I saw, what I witnessed mankind do!'

'I can,' Jessica said in a low voice, 'because I was part of it.'

Magneto roared in anger. 'Do not test me!' he bellowed, 'how can you suggest such things! You are far too…'

'Too young?' Jessica shouted back, standing up on Tinamont's back so that Max clung onto her trouser legs to stop himself toppling backwards as the dragon dipped and swerved to allow its mistress to stand upright and not fall. 'Have you not learnt by now Magneto? When you look upon the face of a mutant, you can never anticipate what their gifts might be. How else can so many go unchallenged in the streets? I am far old than you can guess so do not start lecturing me about evils of mankind for I have seen them first hand and yet I know that there are still good people in the world.'

Magneto glared at her and then said a single command, 'destroy them.'

The sentinel obeyed at once. As its arm swung up, Jessica dropped back into her seat and murmured, 'Max.'

Max knew what to do. As the palm rose, he focus on it and using the force of his mind, held it into place. After a few seconds, Magneto started to wonder what the matter was. He looked down at that arm locked into position and before his eyes, it started to take itself apart. With a roar, he held it in place, all the while searching for the source of its undoing.

His eyes met Max's. Max smiled and increased his pressure. The arm began to loosen. Magneto put all his focus on it. Max relieved the pressure a little to focus on the head. Slowly the head began to fall apart. Magneto turned to see what Jessica, who was still staring at him with anger and sadness blazing in her eyes, was staring at. Soon Max and Magneto were struggling against one another to try and control the sentinel.

Then Magneto suddenly found that there was nothing fighting back. He had won. With a yell of triumph he turned to the duo on the dragon to find the girl had turned round and was clutched at the boy as it he was going to fall. Magneto could see that he had gone stiff and was not moving.

'Max!' Jessica cried out in alarm. 'Max!'

With a sudden jolt, Max came back to himself. He stared up at Jessica sadly. 'Those happen at the worst moments, don't they?'

'What did you see?' Jessica asked.

'The phoenix. We haven't much time left. They are already breaking down Jean's barriers. The X-men will arrive soon.' He stared across at Magneto. 'Your end is coming Magneto,' he yelled, and then muttered to Jessica, 'let's get out of here before he blasts us.'

Tinamont rose swiftly and soared away, corkscrewing to avoid the energy pulses that Magneto sent after it. It landed in a deserted park. The park had previously been full of people avoiding the falling apartment blocks. And then they had spotted the descending dragon.

Jessica said something about going to find the others to tell them about Max's most recent foresight. Max agreed, only if they stuck together. That failed as after he rounded the first corner and realised that Jessica wasn't with him. Determined to stay with her, he turned to go back only to be distracted by the sentinel fighting a nineteen storey block of flats. It had been twenty, but the roof had caved it. The building had also grown long, concrete, five-foot wide legs and arms with hands like sledgehammer which were bigger than a single deck bus. When he turned the corner, he discovered that it didn't have feet but its legs seemed to melt into the ground. And standing on the ground about ten meters from her champion was Lizzie, who seemed to be enjoying herself. She whopped as the flats punched the sentinel in the head and sent it spinning across town.

'1-0!' she cried.

'You seem to be having fun,' Max said, hurrying up to her.

Lizzie grinned in response. 'No-one was using it,' she said and turned back as another sentinel crashed towards them. 'How did your discussion with Magneto go?'

'Not good,' Max said, 'he got on the wrong side of Jessica pretty quickly.'

'What did he say?' Lizzie asked, slightly distractedly as the sentinel had just smashed an energy pulse into the walking, punching apartment block.

'A lot of stuff about the evils of mankind and reminded Jessica about the Nazis'. Never a good idea.'

'Why?' Lizzie said, forgetting about the fight for a second to look round at Max. This was a costly mistake as the sentinel took this opportunity to swipe across the seventh floor, destroying the central nervous system of the flats. The apartment block shuddered and then collapsed in upon itself.

'Nothing,' Max said, 'keep forgetting you don't remember.' Lizzie frowned and then groaned as she discovered that her champion's legs had buckled and snapped and the building had collapsed at the sentinel's feet. They both stared at it for a moment. 'KO,' Max said. Lizzie glared at him sulkily. 'I hope you're going to put that back where you found it.'

Lizzie glowered at him and shoved out at the rubble. The rubble quivered and shot forward, knocking back the approaching sentinel and stopping in the empty space where a tall accommodation block had proudly stood. 'You sounded just like Jessica.'

Max smiled briefly and then glanced up at the sentinel which was slowly getting to its feet having just been knocked back by the rubble slamming into it. 'Shall we move?'

'Yeah,' Lizzie agreed and they sped off as the sentinel reached its full height and looked around for something to squish.

They ran in the opposite direction, back towards the park. Max offered a shortcut down an alleyway that almost collapsed upon them as they ran through it but when they emerged, covered in dust and slightly out of breath, they were several miles from the rampaging sentinel.

'Hey guys!' Kitty squealed as she ran past. 'I would hug you but you are filthy.'

Max and Lizzie looked at one another, shrugged and ran after Kitty. 'What's going on?' Max asked.

Kitty stopped short to stare at him. 'Um, haven't you noticed but this place is kind of being torn apart by sentinels!'

'What he means,' Lizzie said quickly, 'is, how come it took you guys so long to get here?'

Kitty frowned. 'We tried to intercept them before they reached Genosha. It didn't work and we crashed. We only came round about half an hour ago.'

Max and Lizzie nodded and they continued running again. After a while, Lizzie said what she had needed to say for the last five minutes. 'Where's Kurt? Do you know what happened to him?'

Kitty looked back and was about to say "I don't know" when the sentinel to her right's head vanished. 'At a guess, over there,' she said, gesturing at the headless sentinel. 'I'm sure he's fine,' she added hurriedly as Lizzie started in that direction.

There was a loud crash from behind them as a sentinel smashed its way through a building towards them.

And Max chose this moment to go stiff.

'Lizzie!' Kitty panicked as the sentinel turned towards them. Lizzie looked back. Max was staring at her with wide, horrified, glazed eyes. Kitty was shaking his shoulders roughly. Lizzie ran back to them.

'He's alright,' she told Kitty calmly, 'he's just foreseeing again.' Max blinked and looked round sadly. Lizzie shook her head. 'Third time in the last hour or so,' she said disbelievingly, 'I thought prophecies were rare.'

Max nodded slowly. 'There are,' he said mournfully, 'but so many things that could have changed are not. Here comes the phoenix.'

A screech ripped through the air. The world spun. Lizzie's head felt like it was being split open from the inside. Kitty and Max both collapsed. Lizzie swayed and dropped to one knee. Looking up she saw, racing through the sky like a comet, a shape made of fire. Inside, lined like an arrow head, were five figures.

Lizzie didn't have time to worry who they could be. She knew what that shape was. The Phoenix: the fire that would consume the world, in other words, trouble.

The phoenix smashed through the nearest sentinel, burning a hole through its chest and continuing over Lizzie's head. The ache inside Lizzie's head rose and pounded inside her temples. Before she knew why she was doing it, she was running after the flying force. She followed it round a corner and onto the main road.

At the far end floating in the air in line with the psychic flames was Jean Grey. Even though she had never met the telepath, Lizzie knew who it was from her recurring nightmares about Genosha's destruction. She called to the oncoming force. 'If you want me, here I am!'

Lizzie was suitably impressed by Jean's bravery. And it seemed like the phoenix was going to take it offer. But just as it reached Jean, another blast of energy intercepted it, diverting the phoenix and knocking Jean from the air. She fell with a cry and landed heavily.

For a moment, Lizzie could not understand what had happened and then Scott came into view, running towards the fallen Jean. Lizzie started running towards them. Scott was evidently torn up about something for he cried out to Jean as Lizzie drew close, 'I can't lose you again.'

'Scott!' Lizzie yelled. She was beginning to understand what he was going to do. 'Let Jean take it back! It meant to be hers. Let her take it back!'

Scott turned abruptly at the sound of Lizzie's voice, but turned back as soon as he realised who it was. 'Like you'd understand,' he snapped, raising his eyes to the fiery phoenix now diving down towards him. He aimed a blast at it.

'Yes, I would,' Lizzie whispered. She was thinking of Kurt and what she would do to help him, understanding Scott's intentions completely. He doesn't stand a chance, she thought sadly as the phoenix drew closer. Then a little voice inside her head whispered, do I?

Lizzie froze. Could she withstand the phoenix, a least until help arrived or Jean (who was now lying on the ground too weak to help) was strong enough to take it back? A memory was stirred in that moment of Luke trying to teach Jessica how to block him out back at the flat what seemed a long time ago.

_You have to imagine that your mind has a door, _he had said_, and you have to close that door, whilst on the other side, I'm trying to force it open._

Jessica had tried and failed several times before laughing and saying_; I can see why Lizzie's so good at this. You have the best imagination out of all of us._

Luke had grinned at Lizzie, who had looked up from her book briefly, and said_, Lizzie's mind was down when I re-met you, but it's built up its defences again. Your mind doesn't have a door anymore, just a wall. I've given up trying to get back in there._

A wall, that's what Lizzie needed now, a wall strong enough to keep out the phoenix. If it could keep Luke out, then surely…

Before she understood her plan entirely, Lizzie was racing towards Scott as fast as she could. It helped that he was moving backwards as the phoenix approached, firing lasers from his eyes at it. It dropped lower. It was metres from him. With a cry, Lizzie shoved Scott aside and stood in his place, her hands outstretched in front of her.

She pictured ahead of her a door. The door was open and now she shut it. In front of her, the image of a closed door appeared and shimmered like a heat wave. Now Lizzie focused on removing the door's outline so that a solid wall remained. The lines flickered. The image began to fade, leaving a solid shimmering shape between Lizzie and the phoenix.

And then the phoenix struck.

Lizzie could never have anticipated the force behind the psychic flames. She buckled under the weight and her block slipped slightly. The phoenix rammed into it again and a singular crack appeared, glowing white in the wall. At that moment, a figure was thrown out and landed on the sidewalk.

Lizzie stared at the motionless figure and blinked. She could not believe what had just happened.

Neither could the remaining figures. A tendril of fire felt out around the unconscious girl before whipping back and the force slammed into Lizzie's blockade again. Lizzie gasped. More white lines appeared in the wall, like cracks in glass. Lizzie could feel it giving way, feel the heat of the flames just outside.

A thought came to Lizzie. The phoenix was fire, she could control fire. She knew she would never be able to fully control the phoenix, but if she could, just a little…

Experimentally, Lizzie focused on retaining the wall and trying to dampen the wisps of flame circling above her head as the main force of the phoenix tried to break down her barrier. Nothing seemed to happen. And then the tiniest bit of flame bunched up to its neighbour and disappeared. Lizzie tried again and the fire did seem to be fading from the edges.

But then Lizzie moved her concentration and realised that it was not because she was putting it out. The phoenix force was gathering around the four remaining women readying to ram down her barrier.

To her left she heard Scott groan. She had tossed him headfirst into a mailbox and he was just coming round. Lizzie heard her name being called and realised that it was someone behind her. Looking round, she saw Luke running towards her as fast as he could.

And then the phoenix hit home. It shattered Lizzie's barrier and lifted her off her feet. For the first time, Lizzie felt its full force, the burning and pain it consisted of. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open in a scream but she could hear nothing but the rush of flames around her. As the phoenix passed through her, Lizzie's eyes opened slightly as her scream peaked and she saw the four others passing to her left and right.

Anger boiled up inside Lizzie. Anger, combined with pain; she thought about how she had tried to quench the phoenix fire. She couldn't on the outside, but with it passing through her at the same time, filling her veins with the fiery pain that fuelled it…

Lizzie extended her arms to the full and pulled inwards. There was a gasp of surprise from the four and they ricocheted off her. The fire balled up around her arms and down to her chest and clutched her heart with a firm burning hand. Then they were gone and Lizzie was left standing in the street with nothing but fire inside her mind.

Luke reached her seconds later to find her on the ground crying with pain. He scooped her into his arms and hugged her and told her it would be alright.

Lizzie shoved him away. 'It burns,' she said in a cracked whisper.

'I know,' Luke choked, 'I know. Give it away Lizzie, give it to me!'

'No!'

'Lizzie!' Luke said desperately reaching for her again.

'I said no, Luke!'

'She won't give it to you, Luke,' said a cool, calm voice from behind Luke.

'Emma!' Luke heard Scott say, but he wouldn't look round.

'Why?' Luke said, addressing Emma and Lizzie at the same time.

'Because of that thing inside you Luke!' Lizzie said, dragging herself away from him, 'you won't, you can't stop it…' she cried out and then whimpered in pain, 'it burns.'

'Lizzie,' Emma said calmly, moving round Luke who remained where he was, 'give it to me.' Lizzie turned her face to Emma and opened her eyes so that she could see the telepath. Her vision was blurred by fire and so all she could see was a silhouette of white against a black sky. Hearing Emma's sharp intake of breath, Luke forced himself to look up and at Lizzie. Her eyes were gone, lost amongst the flames that danced there, reflecting the tormented burning battlefield that was now Lizzie's mind.

Emma held out her hand to Lizzie. Lizzie looked at it for a moment and then took it and let Emma help her to her feet. Luke leapt up too, eager to help if anything should go wrong. Emma took hold of each of Lizzie's shoulders and stared into her face.

'Open your mind, Lizzie,' she commanded, 'the phoenix has closed your mind off again. You've barricaded yourself in with the fire. You need to let it out and come to me.'

'No!' Scott yelled. He struggled to his feet and launched himself at the trio but Logan intercepted him.

Lizzie didn't notice. She was trying to form the door and let the phoenix out but… 'I can't,' she said desperately, 'it won't let me!'

'Lizzie, you must,' Emma said.

'You think I don't know that!' Lizzie screamed, 'but it's looking and looking, and it won't go!'

'The door, Lizzie,' Luke said, 'think of a door, a certain door, and how much you would give to step through that door…'

At first, Lizzie had no idea what Luke was talking about. But as he said it, a double door appeared in her mind's eye. It was silver in colour with white slabs set into the centre of each door and ornate handles. There was something about this door that intrigued Lizzie but also created an overwhelming desire to walk through it. She reached out with a shaking hand and grasped a handle. The desire intensified. She yanked the door open.

The flames were leaving her. She felt wind pouring out of her, the heat was fading along with the pain and then Lizzie collapsed.

Someone caught her as someone else let go. People were mere shapes, blurred outlines. Sound rolled through her mind, in one ear and out the other. Slowly her senses began to return. The first words she heard were, 'Scott, forgive me.' The first image was that of a diamond Emma disappearing in a roar of flame that spread into the sky and faded.

Lizzie became aware that Luke was holding her as the chips of diamond began to fall. Scott was sobbing into Logan's shoulder and then clung to Jean when she approached him. Lizzie turned to Luke. 'Is that it?' she asked. Luke's face was set and he said nothing, merely nodded. Lizzie unpeeled his fingers from her shoulder as Jessica rounded the corner. She called their names and Luke's attention was immediately caught. He staggered to his feet and ran to meet her.

Lizzie got up slower. She hadn't been Emma's greatest fan, but she knew that what Emma had just done was very brave and had saved her life. If she had kept the phoenix any longer, it would have probably destroyed her. Admittedly, she was surprised that she had lasted that long!

She looked around. People were starting to come to. Kitty and Max rounded the corner. Max stopped dead when he spotted the group and, looking round, Lizzie could see why. Luke and Jessica were greeting each other with a passionate kiss. Lizzie almost smiled. It was bound to happen at some point. Max just stared for a long time before looking away when Jessica and Luke broke apart.

Lizzie looked down at the glittering fragments of diamond that had once been Emma Frost's protection. There was something in Lizzie head that had jammed and was refusing to accept that Emma had gone. Gone with nothing to remember her by, Lizzie thought, that's the saddest thing.

Or was there nothing?

Lizzie knelt and touched the diamond shard. It was possible. Standing, Lizzie swept out her arms and summoned all the pieces of diamond to her. They flew from across the entire street, out from under people's shoes and inside gutters. Lizzie swirled them once around her head and then focused on her left hand.

Slowly a pedestal formed from the diamond fragments. And then a pair of legs grew from that. Painfully slowly, a sculpture of Emma Frost, made from her diamond remains, formed in Lizzie's left hand, similarly to how she had remade the bowl earlier.

Lizzie stopped when all the diamond was used up. The statue was just under a foot tall. It depicted Emma in her x-man uniform and her name was cut into the plinth on which she stood. Lizzie glanced about and then strode to the nearest jewellers. No-one was in. Lizzie looked back and found no-one seemed to be watching her. They were all caught up in the reunion with Jean.

Lizzie opened the door and stepped in. There wasn't anyone around. She stepped into the back and found what she was looking for on a workbench next to the door.

A few minutes later, she approached Scott with a box. Scott looked surprised when Lizzie elbowed her way to the centre of the crowd and handed it to him. He took it and stared at it. Then he took off the lid. He stared at the figurine of Emma (her name, the edges of her cloak and her hair highlighted with white gold) resting on a bed of white silk and then started to silently cry again.

Lizzie wriggled back out and there she was met by Luke, with his arm round Jessica and a sullen faced Max. They managed to smile at her. She smiled back. 'Glad you managed to sort things out,' she said.

Jessica blushed and Luke chuckled. Max looked away. 'Are you alright?' Luke asked.

Lizzie shrugged. 'I'll survive,' she said, 'this is nothing that a good night's sleep will cure.'

'When was the last time you got a good night's sleep?' Jessica asked.

Lizzie shrugged. 'Fair point,' she said.

'Lizzie!' someone yelled. She looked over her shoulder and saw Kurt making his way towards them.

She turned back. 'Excuse me,' she said.

'You're excused,' Jessica said with a grin.

'Go on,' Luke said.

Lizzie beamed at them, tried and failed to catch Max's eye, gave up and turned. She ran the remainder of the distance and threw her arms around the waiting Kurt's neck.

* * *

There, finally this part of the story is finished with. The next two chapters should be easier to write seeing as they have no real connection to the show's storyline.

I was thinking of doing a sequel to this, or should that be a prequel, about how the Guardians are first formed because I have several ideas. Please tell me what you think about that.

Reviews mean that updates will come quicker (hint, hint).


	13. Fight the Past

I really need to finish this fic. This is the penultimate chapter so I might do so sometime this year...

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men. I do own everything else that is going on and particularly my characters Lizzie, Luke, Max, Jessica and Eizel (and anyone else I mention and you don't know)

* * *

The curtains were drawn, the lights were out and the air was heavy with perfumed incense and candle fumes. Lizzie was cross-legged on her bed staring at Max who was sitting in a similar position on the floor. There was a tense silence. Finally, Max sighed and opened his eyes.

'Nothing,' he said, glumly.

'Nothing,' Lizzie repeated, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Max shook his head. 'I'm sorry, Lizzie,' he said sadly, 'I would love to know just as much as you would when this is going to happen. I keep my eyes open for a date, a time, anything, but nothing shows itself to me.'

Lizzie sighed. 'Alright, Max. Thanks for trying.'

Max nodded and struggled to his feet. Lizzie remained on the bed, staring at the floor. Max rolled his eyes, crossed to the window and threw back the curtains. Lizzie screwed up her eyes against the sudden light as Max opened the window, stuck his face out and inhaled deeply.

'Didn't realise how musty it had become in here,' he muttered as he headed for the door. He looked back before exiting. Lizzie hadn't moved. Max sighed and left her to her thoughts.

Lizzie, who had been momentarily blinded by the sudden light, was examining herself in the mirror opposite. It had been a long time since she had looked at herself properly. She was thinner than she remembered seeing herself before, paler, tired. Somewhere at the back of her mind, a memory was stirring. But, like an elusive pet, as soon as she came close to grabbing it, it would slip away from her again. She had the feeling that it was something to do with looking in a mirror. Which memory to do with mirrors was it? Was it when she stepped out or… something else?

Disappearing, it had something to do with disappearing. Lizzie examined her hand closely, sensing the air around it. It had something to do with air…

Lizzie decided to find a quiet area to practice disappearing, whatever it involved. She slipped off the bed and exited the room. Memories of the last time she had stayed at Xavier manor flooded back to her. Standing in the familiar corridors, Lizzie wondered where she could try disappearing. She needed somewhere private: the training rooms? Did Luke ask Logan for a match this morning, or was that yesterday? No, it was today. So that was out of the question. Lizzie did not need Luke's laughter at her failed attempts right now, not his attempts to persuade her against it. Her friends were always a little shifty when it came to Lizzie's past.

Outside? Lizzie glanced out of the nearest window. Tildie, Kitty, Bobby and Rogue were playing on the basketball courts, but apart from that, the grounds seemed deserted. Outside was the better option then.

'What are you thinking?' someone behind her asked. Lizzie jumped as Kurt's arms slid around her waist.

'Just in my own little world,' she said, 'and don't sneak up on me like that. I don't want to end up hurting you.'

'Maybe you should come back from planet Lizzie to planet Earth,' Kurt grinned.

'Maybe you should go around with a cow bell around your neck to warn people of when you're sneaking up on them,' Lizzie suggested.

Kurt stood back. 'I don't sneak,' he said, slightly hurt, 'I'm naturally quiet.'

'You're a little demon in disguise,' Lizzie said. She had meant it as a joke, but when she turned around and saw Kurt's face, she could see that he was deeply hurt by it. 'I'm sorry…' she started quickly. But as she reached for him, Kurt vanished in his wispy puff of smoke.

'You idiot Lizzie!' Lizzie scolded herself, 'why demon? Why?' She stormed off down the corridors to find that secluded section, as much for everyone else's sakes as for hers.

* * *

Max slipped in to the kitchen as Hank and Forge served up the soup. He collected a bowl and bread as Luke and Logan entered, laughing. Jessica followed just behind them. Seeing Max at the table, she went to join him.

'Any luck on the whole when Genosha is going to be attacked?' she asked, accepting a bowl of soup from Forge and blowing on a spoonful.

Sensing the rest of the room listening, Max replied, 'no, no luck.'

Luke sat at the head of the table, in between Max and Jessica. 'Pity,' he said, 'that would have been incredibly useful.' He and Max exchanged a meaningful glance. 'Where is Lizzie now?'

'I left her in her bedroom.'

'Well, she's not there now,' Kurt muttered, entering and taking the soup from Hank without even a thank you, 'I met here on her way out.'

Luke let Kurt sit down and take his first mouthful before leaning in and saying comfortingly, 'you know Lizzie didn't mean that. She's just tired because of the whole Genosha thing. Hold tight. We'll have her back to normal soon.'

'I hope so,' Kurt murmured and refused to say any more.

Jessica sat patiently though lunch without bringing Lizzie or Genosha up again, but as soon as Luke and Max were out of the kitchen, she pounced. 'Well?'

'We have a date,' Max said, quietly and quickly, heading towards the outside. 'Now we really need to find Lizzie.'

'Why?' Jessica called after the boys.

'Because,' Luke said, catching Jessica's wrist and pulling her close so to reduce the likelihood of anyone overhearing them, 'the distress call arrives in an hour and we think that it's important that Lizzie is there to witness it. More to prove her innocence than anything else.'

When Lizzie first heard her name called, she moved out of the bushes where she was hiding and ran towards the cliff edge. When they continued, she jumped. She landed softly on the sand below, carved herself a cave and hid in there.

After half an hour, Jessica was getting frantic. Max had gone inside to check the cameras for any signs of their missing companion. Ten minutes later, he was joined by Forge. It was not Max's fault that he got distracted; Forge was just one of those people who easily sidetracked him. But it transpired that when Jessica and Luke came down twenty minutes later, they were accompanied by most of the X-men.

'We're receiving a distress call from Genosha,' Hank informed Logan as he entered. On the other side of the room, Max froze and silently cursed. He went back to scanning the CCTV footage.

'Bring it up,' Logan ordered.

The face of the Scarlet Witch filled the screen. 'X-men,' she said as soon as she could see them, 'please, we need your help.' She nodded to someone off screen. The focus of the picture shifted to show the outside. 'We don't understand why she's doing this, but she's going to tear the whole city apart if you don't do something.' Everybody squinted at the figure floating far about the city.

'Who is that?' Logan growled. The picture went blurred for a moment and then refocused. Although rather pixelated, the figure did look rather familiar. Logan turned on Jessica and Luke who were standing not far back. 'Where is Lizzie?' he snapped.

'We don't know,' Jessica admitted.

'She knew, she knew who was behind the Genosha attack,' Logan growled under his breath, 'Forge, bring up CCTV, let's be sure that Lizzie is definitely not in the grounds before we assume that she's there.'

'Did you just plant that?' Jessica murmured to Luke.

'We need to give Lizzie as many chances as possible,' Luke said in reply.

'I've got her,' Max said and everyone clustered around the CCTV, 'she was in the bushes and then she reaches the edge of the cliff... and jumps over...'

'That's it,' Logan snapped, 'suit up. We're heading for Genosha.'

Kurt caught hold of Jessica's arm in the confusion and asked in a worried tone, 'that isn't Lizzie, is it?'

'I don't think so,' Jessica said, 'Luke, Max and I will stay behind, just in case it isn't.' Kurt nodded and let go of Jessica's arm. On an impulsive decision, Jessica stopped him and added, 'just remember, looks can be deceiving. Just because someone way looks a certain way, doesn't mean they are who you think they are.' Kurt turned to ask Jessica what she meant, but Jessica had vanished.

Two floors up, Max released time. 'You shouldn't have told him that.'

Jessica turned back to him in the process of running for the front door. 'Lizzie's lost one already,' she said, not unkindly, 'I think it unfair that she loses one more.' The boys shared a glance before following Jessica out of the door.

'Why are we out here?' Max asked.

'The last image we have is of Lizzie jumping over the cliff. We know that she can't be in Genosha, so she must be somewhere near the cliff,' Jessica explained reaching the edge.

'I'll search,' Luke offered, continuing past Jessica and over the edge. He unfolded his wings and swooped along the cliff. 'There's a cave at the bottom here,' he called up. Landing on a rock protruding from the sea, he peered in. 'I can't see her.'

'Really!' someone shouted and something hit Luke hard. With a yell, he toppled backwards towards the water. Lizzie was suddenly holding his shirt, pulling him upright. 'Could you really not see me?' she asked excitedly.

'Where did you come from?' Luke asked, surprised.

'I was in the cave,' Lizzie said, jumping up and down on the sand, 'I've been practicing something, watch!' She backed up and closed her eyes for more focus. She began to twirl on the spot, slowly at first but speeding up. And before Luke's eyes, Lizzie evaporated.

'How did you do that?' Luke asked, staring at where Lizzie had been.

'It's difficult,' Lizzie said, appearing to his left, 'it involves weakening bonds and is incredibly painful if you get it wrong, but I can disappear.' She jumped off the rock she was sitting on and ran into the cave. She turned back to Luke and grinned. 'I made this and have been practicing in it for over an hour and I still don't think I've perfected it.'

There was a loud roaring from overhead and the Blackbird soared above them. Lizzie emerged from the cave and watched as the plane disappeared over the horizon. 'Where are they going?'

'Genosha,' Luke told her. Lizzie's smile froze.

'What?'

'They're going to Genosha.'

'Why?'

'It's today!'

'No…' Lizzie said, chuckling nervously, 'I asked Max to look into the future a couple of hours ago. He would have seen… why didn't he tell me?'

'Ask him yourself,' Luke said, grabbing Lizzie's arms and taking off, 'we need to get you to Genosha.'

'She… she is here,' Forge stuttered as Lizzie and Luke ran up the hill to the house, 'but then… who's tearing up Genosha?'

'The bad guy,' Lizzie said simply, turning Max around, 'you foresaw this. Why didn't you tell me?'

'It was imperative that they thought you were at Genosha.'

'Why?' Lizzie asked and then she realised. 'You evil…!' she screamed and punched Max as hard as she could.

'I didn't foresee that,' Max moaned to Jessica, clutching his nose.

'They could die and it would all be your fault,' Lizzie cried, running for the cliff, 'I've got to get there.'

'No!' Luke barked, grabbing Lizzie as she ran past, 'no, Lizzie, you can't.'

'I've got to!' Lizzie screamed, 'I have to go!'

'No!'

'Please, Luke,' Lizzie begged, 'she'll kill him. I can't let her… I can't lose him.' Lizzie opened her mind and let Luke see the entire dream, the one part of the dream that remained the same. Luke broadcast this to Max and Jessica as well and then met the latter's eye.

Jessica stepped forwards and raised her arms. Two jets of energy twisted out of her body and started to take shape. 'Everyone onboard,' she cried climbing onto Frayne. Lizzie clambered on after her and the boys scaled Tinamont's back and both dragons took off.

Tildie watched the dragons disappear over the horizon before turning back to Forge. 'What's going on?'

Forge scratched his head and admitted, 'I don't know.'

* * *

The X-men were experiencing difficulties from the moment they arrived in Genosha. For one thing, the massive tornado made a mess of their landing. Even after their impromptu landing involving Bobby, Kitty and Storm, they were batted by the tsunami approaching from the north. After Bobby had frozen that, the earthquakes and fires started.

Wanda helped the last of the X-men up the cliff. They could now see the damage the natural disasters were causing. Chunks of metal speared the ground, fires melting the walls and rocks crushing all those unfortunate to be standing underneath.

'We've evacuated most of the population using Blink,' Wanda explained, 'all water manipulators have tried taking mutants via the sea, but most get washed back up on the island again. Blink is getting tired; I don't think she can continue this much longer.'

'Jean, hunt out any mutants trapped within Genosha,' Logan ordered. Jean was already a step ahead of him but had waited until he gave the order. She now hurried off, accompanied by Scott. 'Everyone else spread out, help out.'

Kurt disappeared from the main group and reappeared several feet away, staring up at the figure high above them who was busy bringing a tower crashing to the ground. 'What happened?' he asked as he heard Wanda approach him.

'She appeared on our shores about two hours or so ago. We tried to welcome her, but after an hour or so she just started ruining the place.'

'Two hours ago, she was still at the Xavier manor.'

'Maybe she moves quicker than you thought.'

'I doubt it,' Kurt muttered and then shouted up at the outstretched figure in the sky, 'Lizzie!'

The figure stopped. They let the tower blocks drop and began to descend. Wanda gripped Kurt's elbow, but Kurt wasn't backing out of this. The woman landed not far from them and whispered, 'you called?' Despite the quietness in her voice, the whisper carried.

'What are you doing?' Kurt asked her.

'Kurt, this is…' Wanda began and then the woman who looked so much like Lizzie looked up. Wanda's sentence ended in a gasp. The girl's eyes were green like Lizzie's but as black as the night's sky.

'Oh dear,' she said sarcastically, 'not who you were expecting.' She laughed and lashed round with her foot. Fire flew through the air to where the two pests stood, but they were gone long before it hit them. The girl with black eyes glared around and spotted the reappearing pair. 'Teleport your way out of this!' she hissed and launched herself back into the air. When she got high enough, she twirled her fingers in the clouds and fired the lightning down upon the city. Kurt and Wanda were thrown backwards as the lightning struck. It travelled rapidly through the city of metal. A mutant with a metallic shine to his skin and electric blonde hair touched the ground some way in front of Hank who was helping a family out of the wreckage that had been his home. The girl in the sky frowned as the electricity passing through the city was absorbed into this mutant. She flicked her hand and he went flying.

Shouts arose on one side of Genosha. The girl looked around. Two dragons were flying over the waves towards the burning island. 'Are you there, Lizzie?' the girl sang, 'ready to watch them die?' She raised her hand again and directed the lightning at Kurt and Wanda.

On the back of the white dragon, Lizzie screamed down Jessica's ear as the first lightning bolt struck. 'No!'

'Lizzie!' Jessica yelled back, but Lizzie had stood up. Anger burnt in the pit of her stomach. Hatred more powerful than anything she had previously felt rose from deep within her. Without warning Jessica, Lizzie vanished. She was speeding over the waves, her air form unhindered by the disasters or by air resistance. She flew silently towards Genosha.

She saw the second lightning being prepared, its targets and knew what was happening.

Kurt was racing across the rubble to where Wanda lay when thunder rumbled over head and heat lit the sky above them. Kurt saw where the lightning was being aimed and was surprisingly unafraid. He knew that there was no way he could teleport himself and Wanda out of there if he reached her. But he went after her anyway.

The lightning struck. Kurt reached Wanda and pulled her close to him, praying for it to miss. He could feel from the heat, it was on target. The screams of his teammates was drowned out by the roar of the lightning.

But death did not come. Kurt opened one eye and then the other. There was someone silhouetted against the light, someone very familiar.

'Lizzie?' Kurt asked in amazement. The lightning ended and Lizzie turned to him. Her green eyes met his yellow.

'Get everyone out,' Lizzie told him in a controlled voice and then, with a running start, leapt into the air.

High above her, the girl with black eyes was trying to work out why the two pests weren't cooked when she saw the little figure flying towards her. She waved her hand to bat her away and was surprised to find it did not hinder the flying figure at all. And then the figure twisted and discharged all the stored lightning electricity in her direction. It scored a direct hit on the girl's leg. She somersaulted and when she righted herself was hovering face to face with herself.

Lizzie's eyes narrowed. 'Hello Eizel,' she said.

Luke, Jessica and Max landed shortly after Lizzie arrived. They were greeted by the X-men.

'What is going on?' Logan demanded.

They were unsure on how to reply. 'Think of the good points about this,' Luke said, 'it's unlikely that she'll continue to destroy Genosha. She'll be too busy trying to kill Lizzie.'

They watched as the girls exchanged fireballs and then one twisted and a giant section of Genosha rose off the ground a smashed into the other.

'You were saying,' Logan growled.

Max scratched the back of his neck. 'Actually, I think that was Lizzie.'

Kurt appeared beside them with a tired Wanda. 'What's going on?' he asked pleadingly of Jessica, 'why are there two of them?'

Everyone was staring that the three friends. 'That's a hard one,' Luke said.

'You know,' Jean stated.

'Is this the time?' Jessica asked panicky, watching as one dropped into the ocean and summoned a tidal wave to drown the other who electrified it.

'They're going to destroy Genosha if they carry on like this,' Hank mentioned.

Logan turned to the three. 'Explanation,' he snapped, 'now!'

'Keep your claws in,' Luke muttered, 'I'll explain.' He pointed at the fighting couple. 'One of those is Lizzie. The other is made from her reflection. We call her Eizel.

'We are not naturally born mutants. Our powers came to us in the testing done on Jews in the Second World War. A scientist, whose name we have purposefully forgotten to avoid bad memories, founded a formula to advance the human evolution process, creating mutants. We are four of only about fifteen or so who survived. Since then, many of the others have been killed.

'The Guardians were created to protect mutants, particularly our friends made in the camps. One of those mutants was a man. We never knew his name. He called himself Burnar. What that is supposed to mean, I don't know. He received the gift of mind control. When he met us, he tried to inhabit the others. I absorbed him, mentally, to stop him from controlling us. That is why I go a bit mental sometimes: he wakes up and tries to kill Lizzie. Why only Lizzie is between her and him; I think she knew him before she joined us.'

'Why is this important?' Logan growled.

'I created Eizel during a time when I was under his influence. Burnar discovered that even when he was possessing me, he could not get close enough to Lizzie. So he forced himself outwards during one of his times in control and used me to force Jessica to help me create Eizel. He used Lizzie's reflection and forced his feelings into it and then combined his gifts with Jessica to bring it to life. Since then Eizel has wanted only one thing, to kill Lizzie.'

An explosion made everyone glance over at the duo that was still battling it out over the ocean.

'Poor Lizzie,' Kurt murmured.

'It gets worse,' Luke said.

'Luke,' Jessica said warningly, 'you don't need to mention this.'

Luke shook his head. 'I do. Lizzie doesn't remember why she wants to fight Eizel so badly. She doesn't remember,' Luke took a deep breath and said, 'she doesn't remember anything because we made her forget.'

* * *

There. One more to go.

Please review!


	14. Opposition

Final Chapter, the one in which everything is explained.

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolverine and the X-men.

* * *

The air compressed as one girl in the sky attempted to squish the other. There was a moment of resistance before the second vanished. A cry of triumph from the first girl was cut short and the second girl reappeared behind and tried to trap her opponent in a headlock. The first girl twisted, there was a burst of flame and the second girl let go.

Far below them, the X-men stared.

'You made her forget,' Hank said at length.

'We had to,' Luke said glancing desperately at Jessica, 'she would have destroyed herself.'

'You have no right…' Logan began, but Luke had read the rest of the sentence.

'We had every right!' he shouted, 'Lizzie's our best friend. We couldn't bear to see her in pain.'

'Luke!' Jessica cried out, grabbing his arm, 'please! Keep calm! The last thing we need is Burnar.'

'Why?' Kurt asked, 'why did you have to?'

The Guardians looked at one another. Luke was now unsure whether to advance. Above them, Eizel tore the sky apart with lightning as Lizzie flew further away from the gathered mutants and towards the open sea. A wave rose up but Lizzie burned her way through it.

Finally Jessica said, 'if any of them deserves to know the truth, it's Kurt.'

Luke shook his head. 'This is where it gets personal.'

'And removing memories from a friend's mind isn't?' Logan growled.

'We didn't intend to remove all of them,' Max tried to cover up, 'but the further we went, the harder it was to select.'

'From someone who knows what it's like…' Logan started.

'We're sure you know what it's like,' Luke interrupted, 'but Lizzie is different.' He paused, glancing over at the fighting couple. 'Or maybe,' he murmured, 'she isn't.' He turned back to Logan. 'Ever been filled with a rage unquenchable? Have you ever been so angry, you would stop at nothing until anyone involved was punished (preferably dead)?'

'Oh yeah,' Logan muttered.

'Lizzie would be like that if we hadn't done what we did,' Luke said calmly, 'she would be killing everyone involved with Nazis or Burnar or Eizel. She would carry on until the world was in flames and she wouldn't care.

'Lizzie met a boy in those Nazi camps. She befriended him and, many years later, they were engaged. But then Eizel found out about him. And she decided to hurt Lizzie beyond measure by killing her fiancé, in front of her, the week before their wedding.'

The X-men were standing open mouthed as Luke sighed and continued. 'That was too much for Lizzie. She had lost her family to the Nazis and now her boyfriend to her reflection. I'd never seen so much hatred in one person before. She closed off from the world, determined only in finding Eizel and ending her once and for all.' Luke shook his head. 'She was ruining her own life without being aware of it. What could we have done? She wouldn't listen to us and refused any help that we offered.'

'We created the Guardians to help mutants,' Jessica added, 'we couldn't do our job with Lizzie as she was. It was our duty to help her; we thought that the best way to do that was to give her the chance of a new start, when she wasn't distracted by Eizel or the past.'

There was a moment of stunned silence, broken only by the fight above. Finally, Kurt said, 'will you ever tell her?'

'We don't know…' Max said, 'admitting what we did, that we can restore her memories, she might demand them from us. We don't know if she's ready to have them back.'

Kitty had suddenly had an idea. 'Does Eizel know that Lizzie doesn't remember?' she asked. The Guardians' eyes widened and they shook their heads. 'What happens if she tells her?' Kitty continued, 'what will Lizzie do?'

'Will she turn on us?' Bobby asked fearfully, ducking behind Kitty who rolled her eyes.

'I don't think so,' Jessica said at length, glancing at Kurt, 'we're her friends…'

There was an awkward pause as the Guardians began to realise the problems they had caused. 'We were doing what we thought was best,' Max said at last, 'that is what we should focus on.'

They all tilted their heads upwards to watch the unfolding fight. Wanda tapped Kurt on the shoulder and murmured, 'Lizzie can win this, right?'

'Yes,' Kurt said immediately, 'but I don't think it will be easy.'

* * *

Fifty feet in the air above them, Lizzie was dancing amongst storm clouds, distracting her reflection with jets of rain or tongues of flame, trying to keep her attention from the vulnerable people below. She twisted out of the way of lightning and solidified the air around Eizel so the latter could not move, until a bolt struck her on her arm and she released the air in her pain. Eizel rose higher and rained down solid rock formed from the clouds around them, but Lizzie had disappeared, dropped straight into the ocean to try and cool the burn.

The sea was boiling, but Lizzie found that she could manipulate the water, bringing the cooler water from the depths to sooth her wound. She gazed up and saw Eizel descending from the clouds, believing herself victorious, and so sent a barrage of icicle shards up at her, just to let her know that she was not gone for good.

This was never going to end, she thought desperately as she swan deeper into the ocean to escape the fire Eizel used to wipe out the ice, there must be some way of beating her. But how do you defeat someone when they can just reverse your own power upon you?

She found the sea's bottom and used it to create pillars of earth and sea which she rode on up, breaking through the crashing waves and then aimed straight at Eizel. Eizel had to move swiftly to avoid the onslaught of earth and water, cracking lightning on the rock to cause it to fall onto the ruins of Genosha. Lizzie caught the remains before they hit and used them to cover the top half of her body, protecting her bare arms from the lightning from above.

Eizel was mocking her over the crashes of thunder and waves. Lizzie couldn't make out most of it, but she distinctly heard three words: "Weak", "Ben" and "Disappointed".

Lizzie flew closer and yelled, 'what was that about disappointed?'

Eizel threw back her head and laughed, 'him! You've disappointed him! You swore revenge upon me, but you are too weak to see it through! I was right! Killing him has made you weak and worthless!'

'Who have you killed?' Lizzie asked, confused.

Eizel did a double take. 'What?' she said, bewildered, 'don't you remember? Don't you remember the man you love? Don't you remember how I torn his spirit from his body right before your eyes, whilst you did nothing, powerless to prevent it?'

Lizzie felt a tug in her gut, a pang of emotional pain she had never experienced before, but spoke the truth, 'No.'

'They must have made you forget,' Eizel murmured, 'they must have made you forget the pain so you wouldn't come after me. How brave of them, how foolish of them. You now have no memory of how to beat me, so now, you never will.'

'I'm not sure what you're going on about,' Lizzie shouted, 'but believe me, I will defeat you!'

'You foolish girl!' Eizel screamed, 'you have no idea of the power I have. You have no idea what I can do. You can't remember! Well, let me show you!'

Something pulsed underneath Eizel's skin, something dark. It grew in a ring out from her, a darkness that had no end to depth, blacker than the night's sky. Lizzie could feel the warmth around her die, the sounds ceased and the chill settled in her bones as she stared into the never-ending gloom.

'This,' Eizel hissed, 'is a space without elements, without light, without heat, a total void. I was experimenting and considered, if I can control the elements around me, I can remove the elements too, and then what am I left with?' Her eyes gleamed with power-hungry rage. 'I am left with this!'

She reached out with one hand and the darkness snapped out at Lizzie. Lizzie yelled and dodged back, responding with a burst of flame but it was swallowed by the void. Eizel laughed again, a high manic laugh.

'There is nothing you can use against this!' she screamed, 'there is nothing you can beat this with! You are finished, Lizzie! Finished!'

Lizzie vanished in an explosion of air particles as the tentacles of blackness whipped through the space where she had been. Lizzie recollected behind Eizel, cautiously checking that she had gotten away in one piece. She thought she might have lost a couple of molecules, but nowhere of immense importance.

She had a massive problem. She knew no way that she could beat Eizel now. How could fight nothing?

Lizzie tried thinking along the lines of trying to conjure her own darkness, but knew she could not do it in time, nor did she believe that she had it in her to remove all the elements from nature.

You use what nature has provided you with, she remember Jessica once saying, that is why your energy will never run dry. They'd have to remove every element in the world before they could stop you, Lizzie.

Or just surround me with metal, Lizzie had retorted with.

Ah! Jessica had said knowingly, but you can find your way around that by using what you have been left with.

Use what you have been left with.

What have I been left with? Lizzie pondered. I have been left with… everything.

What is the opposite of nothing? Everything.

What is the opposite of dark? Light.

What is the opposite of cold? Hot, or heat.

I can create the opposite, Lizzie thought; fill the void she has created, that is how I will win.

Down below, everyone scattered as a large pillar of rock rose into the sky. Lizzie landed on it: earth.

The sea whipped up and wrapped around it like creepers, climbing up towards their mistress: water.

The stormy clouds swirled and the wind howled, whipping Lizzie's hair and clothes: air.

Where's fire? Lizzie thought desperately as Eizel turned and laughed when she realised what Lizzie was trying to do. Lizzie remembered the thunder and called up to the sky for lightning. It was coming down and Lizzie smiled: light and heat and fire!

But then a stroke of blackness broke through the lightning so it disappeared into the growing void. Lizzie cried out in despair as the other elements frothed in her hands, trying to escape her grasp. Without fire, there was no balance amongst them, she could not control them. Eizel laughed as the pillar crumbled and the sea slackened.

Something awoke inside Lizzie: a burning, fiery anger. She could feel something rising inside of her, cracking through her defences, racing for the open. What is this? Lizzie thought desperately as the fire burst out of her and into the open air. What is this?

Is this the remains of the Phoenix force? Lizzie remembered how she had tried to stop it, how she had manipulated the psychic flames. After all, it had just been fire, but of a different sort from what she was used to.

Now it poured out of her, heating the air, flickering in the darkness, the fire that she needed.

A white light glowed. It bubbled within the revolving mass of elements and spread out and around, covering the surprised Lizzie from head to foot. There was a scream of fury from Eizel who could not understand where the light had come from. Where had Lizzie gotten the fire she needed? She could not produce it to do something like this; she needed to use nature… where had it come from?

No time to worry about that now. Lizzie's light was out of her control. Fingers waved in the air around her, spreading out of the brightness that surrounded her arch enemy, coming for her.

Eizel fired darkness at the light, but the light filled the gaps and sealed them shut. Eizel put up a wall of black, but the light ate through it, a swirling unstoppable force. Eizel screamed as a tendril of light caught her ankle as she tried to escape and was dragged backwards into the light.

An explosion tore the sky apart. The clouds were blown in all directions. The sea boiled and began to burn. The ground cracked and crumbled.

Then there was silence.

Everyone emerged very slowly from the various places they had been hiding. They all stared up.

A solitary figure hung in the sky like a broken puppet. Her head was bowed, her body hanging loosely beneath her, her hair ruffled by the breeze. Everyone winced as the sun came out from behind a cloud for the first time. Many of the mutants broke out into relieved celebrations or mutterings of fear.

'Who is that do you think?' Bobby asked the gathered X-men. None of them were very sure. They had witnessed the battle from below with no information on who had been using what, or who had produced that light at the end.

'That must have been Lizzie,' Kurt insisted, 'it must.' No-one decided to contradict him.

The figure began to descend slowly. It gracefully landed not far from the group but stayed with its head down, as if hiding its face. They all glanced at one another. Be prepared for an attack, was the message in everyone's eyes.

The figure raised its head and slowly opened its eyes. They were green, to everyone's relief, but they were darker than Lizzie's had originally been. There was a little bit of Eizel's black eyes in hers. The girl blinked but remained otherwise motionless.

'Lizzie?' Kurt asked tentatively. The girl turned her head and stared at him. He saw something in those eyes soften, but there was vagueness, like she was trying hard to remember him. Then she spotted someone and those eyes hardened.

'Luke Jones and Max Hardy,' she said coldly, 'I am going to kill you two!'

'Is that Eizel?' Logan yelled as the girl launched herself at the two boys.

'No,' Luke panted, 'this is Lizzie. She's just very, very angry!'

'You two lying, cheating little bastards!' the furious Lizzie screamed, '"just going to calm you down!" "Just going to smooth things out inside your head!" "You're not coping!" Am I coping now? Have I been coping for the last nine years?'

'Ah,' Max said as he and Luke back to backed behind Jessica, 'I think she might have remembered.'

'I might!' Lizzie appeared in front of them. The boys winced and both began talking.

'We were going to tell you… but with the whole Genosha thing…'

'You should have seen yourself… you were ballistic… kind of like you are now…'

Lizzie glared at the pair of them and then her face split into a large grin and she cracked up laughing. Both boys stopped mid-excuse and gaped at her.

'Your faces!' Lizzie hiccupped, 'I wish you could see your faces!' She carried on laughing.

The two looked at each other in surprise and then back at Lizzie. Jessica started to giggle and soon nearly everyone was laughing at Luke and Max's bewilderment.

'Lizzie?' Jessica asked as everyone settled down, 'are you alright?'

'I think I'm fine,' Lizzie said with a growing smile, 'more than fine, I think I'm the best I've been in a long while.' She turned around and her expression froze as she surveyed the damaged island. 'I have kind of wreaked Genosha though, haven't I?'

'I don't want you clearing it up!' Wanda insisted immediately, 'you might make even more of a mess.'

Lizzie flushed, 'I do tend to.' She suddenly grinned and said with a smile, 'I did say that I would be bringing dragons next time I came here, though.'

'Yes and would you take your dragon away with you,' Wanda snapped, storming off towards her ruined paradise.

Lizzie sighed as Kurt approached her. 'I get the feeling that she doesn't like me,' she said sadly. Kurt murmured a response, his heart torn between going after Wanda and staying with Lizzie. Lizzie noticed his expression and said gently, 'go.'

'Are you sure?'

'Just go! You want to!'

Kurt gave her a small smile and vanished. When he reappeared, he was too far away to see the tears begin to leak down Lizzie's face.

* * *

Lizzie sat in the window, watching out for the Blackbird. It had been coming and going between the manor and Genosha constantly every day since their return. Every day, Kurt had been on the plane out and returned every evening.

Lizzie missed him during the day, but was glad he returned as Max informed her that every day, Wanda begged Kurt to stay at Genosha and every day, Kurt refused, saying he missed his friends. Lizzie hoped she was counted as a friend.

A black dot appeared on the horizon. Lizzie was out of the window in an instant, racing down the lawns to the cliff top, to wave the Blackbird home. There was movement in a window and Kurt was standing beside her, grinning as she threw her arms around his neck.

'How was today?' she asked as they walked back up to the manor as slowly s possible, enjoying every moment together whilst it was.

'Getting better all the time,' Kurt said with a grin, 'Wanda says that Genosha will be an even better place than before.' He raised his head to catch a glimpse of the last setting sun. 'We were excavating the caves today. Most of it was destroyed in the attack. Wanda says that she will not use them like her father did but try and turn the area into an HQ similar to the X-men's.'

'I bet Logan will be pleased to hear that,' Lizzie said sarcastically.

They had reached the doors now and stood awkwardly, wondering how to continue. Kitty spotted them and called Kurt's name. Lizzie let him go to her, trying not to look so out of the loop.

Kitty spotted her expression all the same. 'She misses you,' she said to Kurt when Lizzie had gone.

'What?'

'She misses you, when you're in Genosha, she wishes…'

'Does she wish I was here?'

'No,' Kitty said after a pause, 'I just think she wishes you would make up your mind. Is it to be Genosha or is it to be Xavier Manor? Them or us? Wanda or her?'

'I don't know,' Kurt said wretchedly, throwing himself onto a sofa, 'I can't decide. Each day I think, this is it, I'm going and not coming back or I won't go at all. But each day, I cannot decide.'

'I think you need to,' Kitty said, 'I know Logan has been meaning to talk to you about it. You need to make up your mind before he catches you, you know what he thinks about indecisive people.'

Kurt chuckled, but that quickly stopped. 'What do you think I should do?' he asked curiously.

'I don't mind,' Kitty said, 'none of us do. Well, we all would care if you decided to stay at Genosha, but we wouldn't try and stop you because we just want you to be happy.'

She left him to think.

The next day, Lizzie awoke the next morning to see the Blackbird sailing into the sky once again. She got out of bed and ran to the window but wasn't sure if she could see Kurt onboard.

'He decided,' someone said behind her. Lizzie turned to see Kitty in the doorway.

'He made up his mind?'

'He made up his mind.'

'And…?'

Kitty didn't say anything, but turned and walked away.

'Kitty!' Lizzie yelled, grabbing her dressing gown and racing after the disappearing teen. 'Kitty! Wait!' She saw Kitty turn into the kitchen to head outside. 'Kitty!'

When Lizzie reached the doorway, Kitty was gone. Lizzie's shoulders shook and she slowly made her way down to the edge of the cliff. There she met Kitty, sitting on the bench looking out to sea. Lizzie's question caught in her throat.

'He went out there, didn't he?'

'He was onboard, yes,' Kitty admitted.

Lizzie choked and sank onto the bench. Kitty, surprised by the sudden emotion, put her arm around her. 'I didn't realise you'd be so upset.'

'Nor did I,' Lizzie sniffed.

'Do you think he knew?'

'No,' Lizzie said, 'I never told him.'

Lizzie was still on the bench when the Blackbird returned that evening. She didn't look up, didn't wave when it passed overhead.

Someone approached her from behind. 'Are you alright?' someone asked. Lizzie almost missed the German accent. She turned and stared at the figure behind her. Kurt grinned, but then his grin faded and he tilted his head at her.

'Are you alright? You look like you have been crying? Whoa!' he said, startled as Lizzie jumped up and threw her arms around him.

'Kitty said… kitty said that you'd gone to Genosha.'

'I did go to Genosha,' Kurt said, 'I went to Genosha to tell Wanda that I was not coming back. That is not where I belong.'

'Where do you belong?' Lizzie asked shyly, not removing her face from his neck.

'Here,' Kurt whispered, kissing the top of her head. It took Lizzie a few seconds to realise what he had done, what he had meant.

She lifted her head and kissed him back.

There was a moment's pause.

'Did Kitty know you were coming back?' Lizzie asked.

'Yes.'

'Right,' Lizzie said, determinedly, 'me and her are going to have a little talk after this, in the danger room.'

Kurt laughed and kissed her again and Lizzie wished that this moment would never end.

* * *

Soppy ending I know, but I hope you could say it was sweet.

Completed! At last!

Please review!


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